Purple-throated Woodstar, Calliphlox mitchellii
The Woodstars as a group are the smallest hummingbirds in Ecuador, and among the world's smallest; Purple-throated males average 2.75" (7 cm) in length, females 2.5" (6.5 cm), compared to an average length of 3.25" for Calliope Hummingbird, the smallest in North America. Purple-throated are mainly found at 2500-5500' altitude, and the ones shown here were photographed at Tandayapa, altitude about 5000'. We also saw the most common highland Woodstar, the White-bellied, which is found between 3500' and 11,000', but I somehow failed to get any usable photographs of that bird.
Female Purple-throated Woodstars, above and below.
