Sword Billed Hummingbird. |
132 of the world‘s 328 species of hummingbirds have been found in Ecuador. Although closely related to swifts, (and may have evolved in the Old World) hummingbirds are now entirely restricted to North and South America, and reach their maximum diversity in the Tropical Andes. So far, 70 species have been reported from the Jocotoco Foundation reserves.
These seven species are all from the Andes, living at altitudes from 500m to as high as 3500m The Critically Endangered Black-breasted Puffleg is one of the rarest in the world, and known only from the Pichincha volcano region, and in particular the Yanacocha Reserve. It is now adopted as the ‘Bird Emblem of Quito'. The Collared Inca can be seen at both Yanacocha and Tapichalaca reserves.
The Violet-tailed Sylph, is found in the sub-tropical foothills on the west slope of the Andes, and can be seen at Buenaventura reserve. The Swordbill, which has the longest bill relative to its body of any bird, is a highland specialist, and can be sen easily at Yanacocha, and occasionally at Tapichalaca.
Hummingbirds are well known as nectar feeders, providing pollination services to many Andean plants, but they also eat insects, especially when raising young.
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