Giant Hummingbird

*Top 50 Target Species

The Giant Hummingbird, the largest of all hummingbirds, is an uncommoon visitor to Ecuador’s Andean highlands, where it inhabits open montane scrub and páramo between 2,800 and 3,800 meters. Though globally listed as Least Concern, its presence in Ecuador is marginal and poorly documented, with occasional sightings near the Peruvian border and in isolated high-altitude valleys. This species feeds primarily on tubular flowers like Puya and Agave, hovering with slow, powerful wingbeats that resemble a swallow more than a typical hummingbird. Its altitudinal range and specialized diet make it vulnerable to habitat degradation and climate shifts, especially in fragmented Andean ecosystems.