Purple Honeycreeper

The Purple Honeycreeper occurs in western Ecuador, particularly in humid lowland forests and adjacent plantations below about 1,000 meters, with the subspecies C. c. chocoanus extending from eastern Panama through coastal Colombia into Ecuador. It is generally uncommon but locally present, often seen in the canopy foraging for nectar, fruit, and insects, and recognized by its high-pitched “zree” call and the male’s vivid purple plumage with yellow legs. The species is listed as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a vast range across northern South America and an estimated global population between 5 and 50 million mature individuals, though its numbers are thought to be slowly declining due to habitat loss. Natural history observations highlight its specialized nectarivorous diet, social foraging behavior, and use of low-growing epiphyte-rich forests, with nesting habits still poorly documented.