Andean Hillstar

Chile

Jul 17

Andean Hillstar (Oreotrochilus estella)

Name Origin:
The genus name Oreotrochilus derives from the Greek oreos (“mountain”) and trokhilos (“small bird”), meaning “mountain hummingbird.” The species name estella means “star” in Latin, referring to the bird’s gleaming plumage and high-altitude brilliance.

Quick Facts

🪶 Length: 13–14 cm (5.1–5.5 in)
⚖️ Weight: 7–8.5 g (0.25–0.3 oz)
🌎 Range: Andes of southern Peru, Bolivia, northern Chile, and northwestern Argentina
🧭 Elevation: 3,000–5,200 m (9,840–17,060 ft)
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small insects
🏡 Habitat: High Andean scrub, puna grassland, rocky slopes, and near glacial streams
🧬 Clade: Lesbiini — “Coquettes” and high-Andean hummingbirds
📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN)

Subspecies & Distribution

2 subspecies:

O. e. estella
Distribution: Central and southern Andes of Peru and Bolivia; extends into northern Chile and northwestern Argentina.

O. e. bolivianus
Distribution: Central Bolivia; some authorities treat as a separate species (Bolivian Hillstar).

Species Overview

The Andean Hillstar is a remarkable high-elevation hummingbird that thrives in environments few others can survive. Found on windswept slopes and rocky valleys above the treeline, it endures cold nights and thin air, often roosting in crevices for warmth. Males flash their iridescent violet throats against the stark Andean landscape—true jewels of the puna.

Male Description:
The male is striking, with bronzy-green upperparts, a shimmering violet gorget, and white underparts separated by a narrow green chest band. The crown is dull green, and the tail dark with bronze gloss. His wings are long and narrow, adapted for hovering in thin mountain air. When displaying, he perches on boulders or performs brief vertical flights, flashing his gleaming throat patch in sunlight.

Female Description:
The female is less vivid, with greenish upperparts and pale buffy underparts heavily streaked with green on the sides and chest. Her throat is whitish with faint speckling, and her tail is edged with white tips. She builds a bulky nest of plant fibers and down, often tucked in cliffs or under rocks—an unusual adaptation among hummingbirds.

Habitat & Behavior:
Inhabiting elevations up to 5,000 meters, the Andean Hillstar feeds mainly on Chuquiraga, a hardy Andean shrub that blooms even in harsh alpine conditions. It also takes insects for protein. Unlike most hummingbirds, it spends long periods perched, conserving energy in the cold. It is well adapted to freezing temperatures, entering torpor at night to survive the high-altitude chill.

Conservation Note:
Listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, the Andean Hillstar remains relatively common within suitable habitat. However, climate change and the shifting distribution of high-Andean flora pose potential long-term threats. Conservation of puna ecosystems and Chuquiraga shrublands is vital to sustain the specialized pollination networks that support this unique mountain species.

Below is the Andean Hillstar (Oreotrochilus estella estella)

Photographed in Socoroma, Putre, Arica y Parinacota, Chile

This individual belongs to the nominate subspecies estella, which occurs in the central and southern Andes from southern Peru through Bolivia and into northern Chile and northwestern Argentina. In Chile, it is typically found in high Andean valleys and arid puna zones above 3,000 meters, where it perches on rocks or low shrubs between feeding bouts.

The Andean Hillstar is a high-elevation specialist with metallic green upperparts, a contrasting white belly, and a shimmering violet or purple throat in males. Females are duller, with streaked underparts and reduced iridescence. It feeds primarily on high-altitude flowers such as Chuquiraga, often enduring cold winds and intense sun typical of puna habitat.