Ecuadorian Piedtail
Ecuadorian Piedtail (Phlogophilus hemileucurus)
Name Origin:
The genus Phlogophilus derives from Greek phlogos (“flame”) and philos (“loving”), perhaps referencing its fiery plumage tones. The species name hemileucurus combines Greek hemi (“half”) and leukos (“white”), describing the characteristic half-white tail of this species.
Quick Facts
🪶 Length: 9–10 cm (3.5–3.9 in)
⚖️ Weight: 3–4 g (0.11–0.14 oz)
🌎 Range: Southern Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru
🧭 Elevation: 500–1,800 m (1,600–5,900 ft)
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small insects
🏡 Habitat: Humid montane forest edge, clearings, and secondary growth
🧬 Clade: Heliantheini “Brilliants” (montane Andean hummingbirds)
📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN 2024)
Subspecies & Distribution
Monotypic species — no recognized subspecies.
Distribution: Found in the eastern Andean slopes of southern Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru, primarily from Putumayo and Napo (Colombia) south through Ecuador’s eastern Andes to Amazonas and San Martín (Peru). Occurs along humid foothill forest edges, streams, and secondary vegetation, typically between 500–1,800 meters elevation.
Species Overview
The Ecuadorian Piedtail is a subtly iridescent, medium-sized hummingbird, named for its distinctive white-tipped tail. Although less showy than some of its Andean relatives, it is elegant in flight and readily identified by its clean, crisp tail contrast. It frequents semi-open areas, especially near flowering trees and shrubs along forest margins.
Male Description:
The male has bronzy-green upperparts, a white post-ocular stripe, and grayish underparts with greenish flanks. The tail is black with broad white outer tips, giving the characteristic “pied” effect. In good light, the throat and breast show a subtle greenish iridescence, and the bill is short and straight.
Female Description:
The female is similar but paler, with a lighter gray throat and breast, less green on the flanks, and wider white tips on the tail.
Habitat & Behavior:
This species inhabits humid montane forest and forest edge, especially along rivers and roadsides with flowering shrubs such as Inga, Palicourea, and Hamelia. It feeds by hovering and probing tubular flowers, often returning to the same foraging route (trapline). The Ecuadorian Piedtail is quiet and unobtrusive, usually found alone or in pairs, with soft tsit-tsit calls.
Conservation Note:
The Ecuadorian Piedtail is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN and remains fairly common in suitable habitat, though it is naturally localized. The species’ primary threat is deforestation in the Andean foothills, particularly for agriculture and logging. However, it persists in protected areas, including Podocarpus National Park (Ecuador) and Abra Patricia Reserve (Peru). Maintaining continuous montane forest corridors will be essential for long-term stability of this distinctive Heliantheini hummingbird.
