Black-tailed Trainbearer

In Ecuador, the Black-tailed Trainbearer is a highland hummingbird found between 2,500 and 3,800 meters, favoring semi-open habitats like montane shrublands, forest edges, and even urban gardens. It occurs throughout the Andes, with southern populations representing the subspecies L. v. juliae, though Ecuadorian birds are sometimes grouped with L. v. victoriae. Despite a suspected population decline linked to modest forest loss, the species remains fairly common and is currently assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN. A nectar generalist, it forages low among diverse flowers and is often displaced by more aggressive hummingbirds like the Sparkling Violetear.