Hummingbirds of Tandayapa

This is a compilation of the hummingbirds registered in the Lodge’s feeders

1. Booted Racket-tail

Booted Racket-tail is the most common hummingbird at Tandayapa, and large numbers can be seen visiting the feeders any day of the year. The males long, racket-shaped tail makes it distinctive; the female is a tiny white-breasted hummingbird, which shows prominent white boots.

Male	Female

2. Fawn-breasted Brilliant

Fawn-breasted Brilliant is a common hummingbird at the feeders and can be seen daily. Both males and females are chunky hummingbirds with fawn underparts, and the male possesses a shining pink throat.

Male	Female

3. Buff-tailed Coronet

These big hummers are daily visitors. They are aggressive bullies that often chase away other hummingbirds from the feeders. They hold their wings up for a half a second after landing, exposing their distinctive buffy underwing. Sexes are alike.

4. Purple-throated Woodstar

Woodstars are tiny hummingbirds that fly like bumblebees. It is the only species of Woodstar that frequently visits the feeders at Tandayapa Bird Lodge. Males have a bright purple throat, a white band around the neck, and white spots on the sides of the rump. The females have an orange belly with a white band around the neck.

Male	Female

5. Andean Emerald

A medium-sized green-and-white hummer. Males have slightly bluer crowns than females, but lighting conditions can make this hard to judge. They are daily visitors.

6. Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

This well-named hummingbird visits the feeders in small numbers every day. Sexes are similar. It is the only hummingbird at the feeders with a rufous tail and largely orange.

7. Violet-tailed Sylph

Tail-length in males varies somewhat, but long-tailed individuals are absolutely spectacular! Females are very different, with short tails and rufous on the belly bordered above by a white band on the chest. Sylphs are generally daily visitors to the feeders but occasionally are mysteriously absent for days at a time. A Chocó endemic.

Male	Female

8. Purple-bibbed Whitetip

A beautiful Chocó endemic, seen most days at the feeders. The male is distinctive with a bright purple throat and extensive white in the tail; females are medium-sized, straight-billed, green hummingbirds with heavily spotted throats, and a prominent white mark behind the eye. They also have a prominent white mark in the tail.

Male	Female

9. Brown Inca

While not as colorful as some of the other Chocó endemics, this species easily recognized by its largely brown coloration combined with white neck spots. One or two birds usually visit the feeders every day.

10. Western Emerald

Since it tends to avoid dense forest, this tiny hummer has become less common at Tandayapa Bird Lodge as the forest near the lodge has naturally regenerated over time. Even still, it can be seen most days at the feeders. The male is a tiny, shimmering all green hummingbird. The female resembles the female Booted Racket-tail, being a small white-breasted hummingbird, but shows a white brow.

Male	Female

11. Brown Violetear

One of only two species in the area that are largely brown, although this one has purple ear markings. Often goes missing for a month or so around January. Sexes are similar.

12. Sparkling Violetear

A large and aggressive hummer the blue throat and belly separate it from Green Violetear. Good numbers visit the feeder for much of the year, but it can go missing for weeks at a time between January and March. Sexes are similar.

13. Lesser  Violetear

Smaller and less aggressive than Sparkling Violetear it lacks blue on the belly and the throat. It can be seen at the feeders in small numbers most of the year but it often goes missing between January and March. Sexes are similar.

14. Empress Brilliant

An impressive Chocó endemic, recognized by its rather long tail and glittering golden-green belly. It is rather unpredictable. Sometimes it is easy at the feeders, other times it is totally absent. If you don’t see it at Tandayapa Bird Lodge, it can usually be found on one of our regular day trips from the lodge.

Male	Female

15. Green-crowned Brillant

While this chunky hummer is more common at lower elevations sites such as Milpe and Mindo, it frequently turns up at the Tandayapa Bird Lodge feeders. Compare it with the longer-tailed Empress Brilliant, which shows a golden sheen on the belly, lacking in this species.

Male	Female

16. White-necked Jacobin

An occasional visitor from lower elevations, though in recent years it seems to be more common. While the male is easy to recognize, the female is quite different. Her fairly large size and scaly underparts are helpful in making the ID.

Male	Female

17. Green-crowned Woodnymph

This species is much more common at lower elevations, but it is not too unusual to see one at the lodge feeders. Males are distinctive with green heads and violet bellies while females are identified by their isolated dirty-white throat patch.

Male	Female

18. Speckled Hummingbird 

While this bird is common in the upper parts of the Tandayapa Valley, it is only an occasional visitor to the lodge feeders. A small hummingbird with a speckled throat, stubby bill, and obvious eye brow. Sexes are similar.

19. Velvet-purple Coronet

A beautiful species endemic to Chocó, with unique colors, this medium-sized hummingbird looks all blackish in poor light, but at the right angle, it turns into a dazzling gem with a purple belly and crown, turquoise sides, and greenish wing coverts, show up at feeders occasionally. Easier to find at lower area feeders. The sexes are similar.

20. White-bellied Woodstar

A very unlikely species to see at the feeders or around the lodge. Males are mostly emerald green above with a bright white breast and belly, bright purple throat, and forked tail. Their wings make a distinctive resonant buzz in flight. Females have a white throat, white eye line, and deep buffy flanks. Both sexes have very prominent white patches on the sides of the lower back.

Male	Female

21. Tawny-bellied Hermit

While rare at the feeders, this large hummer with a long, white-tipped tail is regularly encountered along the trails and near the start of the entrance road.