Tourmaline Sunangel

The Tourmaline Sunangel is found along the eastern slopes of the Andes in Ecuador, particularly in humid cloud forests and elfin woodlands between 1,500 and 3,400 meters, with a preference for elevations above 2,300 meters. Though its range is geographically limited, it remains locally common within suitable habitat, often frequenting forest edges, shrubby pastures, and bushy clearings. The species is currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, though its population trend is suspected to be slowly declining due to habitat fragmentation. Known for its territorial nectar-feeding behavior and occasional insect hunting, it breeds during the wet season, with females constructing moss-lined nests and incubating two eggs in concealed forest perches.