Blue-mantled Thornbill

The Blue-mantled Thornbill occurs on both slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes, from Carchi to Azuay provinces, typically inhabiting steep, rocky páramo grasslands and shrubby high-elevation woodlands between 3,000 and 4,200 meters. Though patchily distributed, it is considered fairly common within suitable habitat, often seen foraging low among Polylepis and Gynoxys thickets. The species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, but its population is suspected to be declining due to degradation of highland vegetation and encroachment by more adaptable species. Natural history records suggest altitudinal movements and solitary nectar-feeding behavior, with nesting likely occurring in mossy crevices or low shrubs amid windswept terrain.