I don’t think I will ever forget the first time I saw a hummingbird. With their iridescent feathers, rapid wingbeats, and dazzling aerial acrobatics, hummingbirds are often an unexpected highlight of a trip to Ecuador and feature heavily in the photo albums of our guests. Hummingbirds are quite an assault on the senses, not only a visual treat, but they do also literally hum and if you are lucky enough to get really close you can feel the gentle breeze of their wings as they fly close past you.
In fact in recent weeks anyone who has been following us on Facebook and Instagram will have been treated to some amazing pictures that a couple of our guests have sent us during their stay in the beautiful cloud forest area of Mindo. Just two hours drive from Quito, Mindo is one of my favorite places on the planet. Aside from the beautiful tropical forest dripping with orchids and bromeliads, one of the things I really love about Mindo is the incredible array of hummingbird species you can see. In fact, Ecuador is one of the best places on Earth to observe these tiny, vibrant birds; the country is home to over 130 species of hummingbird — more than any other country relative to its size.
Seeing these pictures our guests sent us in the last few weeks reminded me of the pure joy of these little flying jewels and inspired this blog post which I hope you will enjoy reading.
10 Top Hummingbird Facts
1. Hummingbirds are Small but Mighty
Hummingbirds are the smallest birds in the world. They are also the smallest vertebrates – this means creatures that have a backbone. The Bee Hummingbird, found in Cuba, is the tiniest bird known at 2.25 inches, but Ecuador’s Esmeraldas Woodstar is similarly minuscule — just 2.5 inches long and weighing less than a penny.
2. Hummingbirds are found only in the Americas
Hummingbirds are part of the Trochilidae family found only in the Americas. They are unknown in the Eastern Hemisphere. With 343 species, hummingbirds make up the Western Hemisphere’s second largest family of birds.
3. Wings in Overdrive
Because they can rotate their wings in a circle and beat them between 50 to 80 times per second, they are the only bird that can fly forwards, backwards, up, down, sideways and hover in mid air. Their fast movements are a blur to the naked eye but essential for sipping nectar mid-air.
Hummingbird wings go into overdrive when they’re courting – at an incredible 200 times per second during a courtship dive. During these courtship dives they can reach speeds up to 60 miles per hour compared to average speeds of 20 to 30 miles per hour when feeding.
With all the power concentrated in their wings, hummingbirds have weak feet and are more at ease using their wings even to shift in the nest or on a perch.
4. Fast Metabolism
To support their high-energy flight, hummingbirds have the fastest metabolism of any bird species. Their heart rate can reach up to 1,260 beats per minute and they can consume up to twice their body weight in nectar from 1,000 flowers each day. For protein, hummingbirds eat spiders and strain gnats from mid-air. They will pull insects out of spider webs including the spider itself.
To conserve energy while they sleep or when food is scarce, they can go into a hibernation-like state (torpor) where their metabolic rate is slowed to 1/15th of its normal rate.
5. Brilliant Iridescent Feathers
The most astonishing quality of hummingbirds is their ability to broadcast color. Their shimmer is not pigment but structural coloration. Tiny platelets in their feathers reflect light like prisms, creating dazzling colors that change with the angle of view. This allows hummingbirds to flash colors or hide them, which is useful for males who want to impress females or threaten other males.
6. Incredible Memory but no sense of smell!
Hummingbirds remember every flower they’ve visited and how long it takes each to refill with nectar. This exceptional spatial memory helps them forage efficiently. Surprisingly, they have no sense of smell, relying on their memory instead to find food.
7. Specially adapted bills and tongues
Hummingbirds’ bills are long and tapered to match perfectly with the tubular shaped blooms on which they like to feed. Their tongue is grooved on the sides to collect nectar which they lap up at the rate of 13 licks per second. Hummingbirds are also very helpful in pollinating the plants on which they feed. As they lap up the nectar, pollen from the bloom is rubbed off onto the hummingbird, then carried to the next bloom as it continues to feed. In fact, there are some plants that are only pollinated by hummingbirds.
8. Territorial and aggressive!
Hummingbirds are very territorial and will perch in trees, vines or bushes, between feedings to watch the area….. and will attack other birds that might try to feed at their food source.
9. Incredible Migration
Despite their size, many species that migrate to the U.S. travel impressive distances. Many Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds make a 2,000 mile journey between Canada and Panama. The trip includes a non-stop, 500 mile flight over the Gulf of Mexico.
10. Single Parent Families
Hummingbirds do not mate for life; they mate once then the female raises the young on her own. Females will typically lay a clutch of two white eggs and will produce only one brood per season. The hatchlings will remain in the nest for three weeks. Hummingbirds can live a decade or more in the wild.
The 5 Most Beautiful Hummingbird Species in Ecuador
Whilst beauty is in the eye of the beholder, here are what we think are the prettiest hummingbirds in Ecuador thanks to their vibrant colours, unique shapes, or dazzling tail feathers.
1. Violet-tailed Sylph (Aglaiocercus coelestis)
- Why it’s stunning: Males have incredibly long, iridescent violet-blue tail feathers that trail gracefully behind them in flight.
- Where to see it: Cloud forests on the western slope of the Andes, especially around Mindo, Mashpi, and Milpe.
- Bonus: One of the most photogenic species due to its elegant silhouette and vibrant hues.
2. Sword-billed Hummingbird (Ensifera ensifera)
- Why it’s stunning: Its bill is longer than its body — the only bird in the world with this trait! Combined with its sleek green and bronze plumage, it’s truly unique.
- Where to see it: Yanacocha Reserve and high-elevation areas near Quito.
- Bonus: Watching it hover and feed with such a long bill is both bizarre and beautiful.
3. Booted Racket-tail (Ocreatus underwoodii)
- Why it’s stunning: Males flaunt white feather “boots” and a tail ending in two racket-shaped feathers that swing and bounce as they fly.
- Where to see it: Common in cloud forests of both eastern and western Andes, especially around Bellavista and Guango Lodge.
- Bonus: Its playful, fairy-like appearance makes it a crowd favorite.
4. Long-tailed Sylph (Aglaiocercus kingii)
- Why it’s stunning: Like its cousin, the Violet-tailed Sylph, the male Long-tailed Sylph has a long, shimmering blue-green tail, but it lives on the eastern slopes of the Andes.
- Where to see it: Guango Lodge, San Isidro, and other eastern Andean cloud forests.
- Bonus: Best seen when light catches its tail, creating a metallic flash in mid-air.
5. Great Sapphirewing (Pterophanes cyanopterus)
- Why it’s stunning: One of the largest hummingbirds, the male features glowing sapphire-blue wings and a deep green body that looks like polished jade.
- Where to see it: High-altitude reserves like Yanacocha and Puembo Birding Garden.
- Bonus: Its slow, majestic flight adds to its regal, almost mythical appearance.
A special mention – the Ruby Throated Hummingbird
The common Ruby-throated Hummingbird is one that most people are familiar with. Ruby-throated hummingbirds are about 3 1/2 inches from the tip of their beaks to the tip of their tales. The female Ruby-throated hummingbirds are about 15 to 20% larger than the male Ruby-throated hummingbird.
5 Best Places to See Hummingbirds in Ecuador
Ecuador’s wide range of elevations — from Amazon lowlands to Andean peaks and Cloud Forest — makes it a haven for hummingbird species. Here are some must-visit spots for top sightings:
1. Mindo Cloud Forest
Nestled in the western Andes, Mindo is a world-renowned biodiversity hotspot. Dozens of hummingbird species, including the Booted Racket-tail and Violet-tailed Sylph, can be seen at feeders and in the wild. Many of our guests stay at El Monte Lodge whilst in Mindo.
Best Spots: Mindo, Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, Sachatamia Lodge.
2. Yanacocha Reserve (near Quito)
This high-altitude reserve (around 11,000 feet) is famous for rare hummingbirds like the Sword-billed Hummingbird, with a beak longer than its body, and the shimmering Great Sapphirewing.
Tip: Visit the feeders near the entrance for close-up views.
3. Mashpi Reserve
An exclusive eco-lodge in the Chocó bioregion, Mashpi offers a chance to see endemic species like the Empress Brilliant and Purple-bibbed Whitetip in pristine forest habitat.
Bonus: The on-site hummingbird garden is a photographer’s dream.
4. Cabañas San Isidro (Eastern Andes)
Located in the eastern cloud forest near Cosanga, this lodge attracts a stunning variety of hummingbirds. Look out for the Long-tailed Sylph, Chestnut-breasted Coronet, and the distinctive Gorgeted Woodstar.
5. Milpe Bird Sanctuary
Just a short drive from Mindo, Milpe is home to lower-elevation species such as the Green-crowned Brilliant and White-whiskered Hermit. The viewing platforms offer fantastic vantage points.
Tips for Hummingbird Watching in Ecuador
The top tip would actually be to organise your visit with an expert birding guide as they will make sure you get the best hummingbird experiences (we have some amazing birding guides in our team at Think Galapagos) but here are some more general tips:
- Bring binoculars (or a good camera with a zoom lens).
- Wear muted colors to avoid startling the birds.
- Be patient and quiet — some hummingbirds are shy.
- Go early in the morning, when birds are most active.
Ecuador is a paradise for hummingbird lovers. With so many species in such a compact country, it offers one of the richest hummingbird experiences in the world. Whether you’re a seasoned birder or a curious traveler, witnessing these flying jewels in their natural habitat is an unforgettable experience.
So grab your binoculars, head into the cloud forests, and prepare to be dazzled!
