Violet-fronted Brilliant

The Violet-fronted Brilliant is a vibrant hummingbird found year-round in Ecuador’s humid montane forests, particularly along the eastern Andean slopes between roughly 1,000 and 2,400 meters. It is locally common in forest interiors and edges, where males flash their glittering violet foreheads and emerald gorgets while feeding on nectar from Inga, Bomarea, and other native blooms. Despite a suspected population decline due to habitat loss, it is globally listed as Least Concern thanks to its broad range across the northern Andes. Breeding behavior remains only partially documented, but like many hummingbirds, females likely build small cup nests and raise the young alone, while males defend feeding territories with aerial displays.