Speckled Hummingbird

The Speckled Hummingbird is widely distributed across both slopes of the Ecuadorian Andes, occupying a broad elevational range from subtropical forests around 1,400 meters to cloud forests above 3,000 meters. It is generally solitary and locally common, though its occurrence is shaped by microhabitat preferences and elevation, with one isolated population in the coastal Chongón Colonche cordillera around 600 meters. The species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, but genetic studies suggest significant population structuring, hinting at cryptic diversity across its range. Natural history observations reveal a sedentary nectarivore that forages near the ground and nests solitarily, with no known migratory behavior and subtle altitudinal movements post-breeding.