HUMMINGBIRDS   -   TROCHILIDAE   -   PART IV

Shining Sunbeam Aglaeactis cupripennis cupripennis Guango Lodge, Napo province, Ecuador. Only a seasonal visitor here at 2600m, normally found at much higher elevations.

Mountain Velvetbreast Lafresnaya lafresnayi saul Guango Lodge, Napo province, Ecuador. Female. Widespread in high Andean forests from Venezuela to Peru. Unique among high Andean hummers with its strongly decurved bill.

Bronzy Inca Coeligena coeligena colombiana Above Jardín, Antioquia department, Colombia. Female on a nest.

Brown Inca Coeligena wilsoni Tandayapa Bird Lodge, Pichincha province, Ecuador. Male.

Black Inca Coeligena prunellei RNA Reinita Cielo Azul, Santander department, Colombia. Female. Probably the rarest member of the genus. It can be seen regularly along the Lengerke trail, which passes through the new ProAves Cerulean Warbler reserve.

Collared Inca Coeligena torquata torquata Guango lodge, Napo province, Ecuador. Male.

Collared Inca Coeligena torquata fulgidigula Tandayapa Valley, Pichincha province, Ecuador. Female.		Gould's Inca Coeligena inca Aguas Calientes, Cusco department, Peru. Probably a female. This species is often lumped with Collared Inca (e.g. SACC) despite its very distinct plumage and disjunct range.

Buff-winged Starfrontlet Coeligena lutetiae Yanacocha reserve, Pichincha province, Ecuador. Female. This and the next several photos were all taken with a point-ant-shoot camera at very close range with a flash. The hummers at the Yanacocha and Guango feeders are almost totally unafraid of people.		Buff-winged Starfrontlet Coeligena lutetiae Yanacocha reserve, Pichincha province, Ecuador. Male. Hovering at a feeder that has been cropped out of the photo.

Sword-billed Hummingbird Ensifera ensifera Guango Lodge, Napo province, Ecuador. Male. A wonder of evolution - how do they preen? How do they raise young? It used to be hard to see this amazing bird well, but now it regularly comes to feeders at both Guango and Yanacocha.

Sword-billed Hummingbird Ensifera ensifera Guango Lodge, Napo province, Ecuador. Male. Another shot, this time using natural light.

Great Sapphirewing Pterophanes cyanopterus peruvianus Yanacocha reserve, Pichincha province, Ecuador. Male. One of the biggest hummingbirds; males are about 20cm (8 in).

Orange-throated Sunangel Heliangelus mavors Las Tabias, Mérida state, Venezuela. Male. Only found in a fairly small area of the northern Andes from Venezuela to northern Colombia.

Amethyst-throated Sunangel Heliangelus amethysticollis laticlavius Tapichalaca reserve, Zamora-Chinchipe province, Ecuador. Male.

Gorgeted Sunangel Heliangelus strophianus Tandayapa Valley, Pichincha province, Ecuador. Male. Closely related to the previous species, replacing it northward in the Chocó region. Note how when he fluffs his feathers out, the white crescent on his breast can become very hard to see.		Gorgeted Sunangel Heliangelus strophianus Tandayapa Valley, Pichincha province, Ecuador. Male. A different angle, showing the crescent and gorget a lot better.

Tourmaline Sunangel Heliangelus exortis Guango Lodge, Napo province, Ecuador. Male.		Tourmaline Sunangel Heliangelus exortis Guango Lodge, Napo province, Ecuador. Female, with a white throat.

Little Sunangel Heliangelus micraster micraster Tapichalaca reserve, Zamora-Chinchipe province, Ecuador. Female. Closely related to the prevous species, and sometimes considered conspecific. Little Sunangels can sometimes show all white throats, but Tourmalines never show as much color on the gorget.

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