Online hummer guide

Booted Racket-tail (Male)

Booted Racket-tail (Female)

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.

Fawn-breasted Brilliant (Male)

Fawn-breasted Brilliant (Female)

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.

Buff-tailed Coronet (Male)

Buff-tailed Coronet (Female)

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.

Purple-throated Woodstar

A tiny, bee-like, hummingbird that comes in daily. It is the only regular woodstar species at Tandayapa.

Andean Emerald

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.

Rufous-tailed Hummingbird

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 bill.

Violet-tailed Sylph (Male)

Violet-tailed Sylph (Female)

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.

Purple-bibbed Whitetip (Male)

Purple-bibbed Whitetip (Female)

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.

Brown Inca

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.

Western Emerald (Male)

Western Emerald (Female)

Western Emerald

Since it tends to avoid dense forest, this tiny hummer has become less common at Tandayapa 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.

Brown Violetear

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.

Sparkling Violetear

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.

Green Violetear

Green 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.

Empress Brillant (Male)

Empress Brillant (Female)

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, it can usually be found on one of our regular day trips from the lodge.

Green-crowned Brillant (Male)

Green-crowned Brillant (Female)

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 feeders. Compare it with the longer-tailed Empress Brilliant, which shows a golden sheen on the belly, lacking in this species.

White-necked Jacobin (Male)

White-necked Jacobin (Female)

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.

Green-crowned Woodnymph (Male)

Green-crowned Woodnymph (Female)

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.

Speckled Hummingbird

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.

Velvet-purple Coronet

Velvet-purple Coronet

A beautiful, uniquely colored Chocó endemic, which turns up at the feeders only occasionally. It is more reliable at other feeders in the Mindo area, which can be visited on a day trip. Sexes are similar.

White-bellied Woodstar (Female)

White-bellied Woodstar (Male)

White-bellied Woodstar

The male gives a ringing wing-whir that helps call attention to its presence. The female resembles the more common Purple-throated Woodstar, but usually shows a whiter belly and wider white line behind the eye.

Tawny-bellied Hermit

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.