Ecuador Hummingbirds Photo Gallery
Ecuador's hummingbirds
enchant all who see them and there are over a
hundred
different types of hummingbird to see here. You can see
hummingbirds in
most parts of Ecuador, from urban Quito to rural villages and mountain
valleys. In San Luis de Pambil, the home of CRACYP, we see at
least three types of hummingbird on a daily basis - the Rufous Tailed
Hummingbird, the Baron's Hermit and the Andean Emerald. We
have also seen some kind of woodstar higher up the valley, but have not
yet managed to photograph it or identify which type it is.
Baron's Hermit
Hummingbird (phaethornis baroni),
San Luis de Pambil,
Ecuador.
Photo by Roz Gordon.
Photographing hummingbirds
is a real challenge,
especially in their natural environment, as they move so fast.
This image above was captured by professional photographer
Roz Gordon as the hummingbird was about to feed on flowers near
CRACYP's base in San Luis
de Pambil, Ecuador. We think it is a Baron's Hermit, but
round
here they seem to be a brownish grey rather than the green that the
hummingbird books suggest - any ideas or help with identification
welcome!
Baron´s Hermit
Hummingbird again, this one showing off its beautiful tail,
San Luis de Pambil, Ecuador. Photo by
Paul Bamford.
Rufous-tailed
hummingbirds are very common around San Luis de Pambil. They
are small but very territorial. We've seen them chase off
other hummingbirds, larger than themselves, in defence of 'their'
flower. These beautiful little green and red hummingbirds are
easy to identify, even for beginner birdwatchers, as their colouring is
very distinctive - pink bill, green body and rusty red tail.
Rufous-Tailed Hummingbirds
(Amazilia Tzacatl)
showing off the red tail after which
they are named. Photographed by Sarah Clifford.
Andean
Emeralds are often seen in our part of Ecuador, but are difficult to
capture in photographs. They are relatively small
hummingbirds
and though they look extremely delicate, they move very
fast. The juvenile in the photo below was less than two
inches long. Andean Emeralds have white underparts and green
backs, their heads can sometimes appear a sparkling turquoise colour as
they reflect the light.
Juvenile (l) and
adult (r) Andean
Emeralds
Ecuador
is one of the best places to photograph hummingbirds because
many resorts put out feeders which the 'hummers' return to
regularly. Popular with hotels in Ecuador, the hummingbird
feeders attract the birds with artificial 'flowers' through which the
birds sip sugar water. With an ample supply of 'nectar' and
somewhere to perch, the hummingbirds return often and stay for a while,
making it easier to get hummingbird photos that are more than just a
blur. However, many of the hummingbird photos on this page
were taken in San Luis de Pambil, where we do not put out feeders, but
still see and photograph beautiful, truly wild hummingbirds.
Andean Emerald Hummingbird
(Amazilia Franciae) with
Tropical Foliage.
Photo taken by Sarah Clifford in San Luis de Pambil, Ecuador
This
hummingbird photo gallery focuses mostly on the species found locally
here in San Luis de Pambil. There are a few photographs
(below, and down
the right hand side of the page) showing just some of the many
hummingbirds
found in other areas of Ecuador. For a wider range
of hummingbird photos and more information, see the Hummingbirds
of Ecuador Photo Gallery on the Ecuador
Travel Site . org.
Many
of Ecuador's hummingbirds are brightly coloured with distinct markings,
but it can still be a challenge to identify them accurately.
Their sparkling colours seem to change from different angles
and they move incredibly fast. Even when they are sitting
still, the female and juvenile hummingbirds of some species can look
quite different from the males. We hope we've been
able to
correctly identify all of the hummingbird images on this page.
However, if you're an ornithologist, an Ecuador hummingbird
expert, a
professional Ecuador hummingbird photographer, a 'hummer' fan or just a
birdwatcher who
really knows what they're talking about, please let us know if we've
made any
errors - write
to us at website@progresoverde.org.
For
Ecuador hummingbird photographs and other images
from her Ecuador trip, thanks to photographer Roz Gordon.
Also thanks to Paul Bamford for
hummingbird and other images of Ecuador. All
images on this site are copyright and may
not be used without the express, written permission of CRACYP.
To
see Ecuador's hummingbirds for yourself, visit us on a farmstay
in
beautiful San Luis de Pambil, find out more about our other ecotourism
initiatives in Ecuador or take a trip to "hummingbird heaven" - Mindo.
More
Ecuador Hummingbird Photos
Ecuador
Hummingbird Photo Gallery
Hummingbird
photos from CRACYP
Selected hummingbird images by Roz Gordon -
www.rozgordonphotography.co.uk
Hummingbird photographs from Paul Bamford,
volunteer photographer for CRACYP
