**Due to the high resolution quality of the images in this blog series it is highly recommended to
view posts in Landscape Mode on a desktop PC from the actual blogsite at Ecuador Birding**
Ecuador Birding – Where Every Feather Tells a Story
From October 26, 2025 through November 8, 2025 I joined 5 other adventurers and an outstanding photographer and birding guide (Liron Gertsman) with Eagle-Eye Tours to Ecuador. This blog series highlights the animals (mostly birds), people and locations we encountered over the 14 full days in this beautiful land.
A Reflections of the Natural World Blog Post Series by Jim Gain
DAY 6 – Late Morning
- My Ecuador Species Count including WildSumaco jumps up to: 208 (145 lifers)
- Primary eBird Public Hotspots: WildSumaco Lodge
WILDSUMACO PART 1 — A Brief History, the Habitat, and the First Wave of Hummingbirds
Perched on the eastern flank of the Andes, WildSumaco Lodge sits at the edge of one of Ecuador’s most biologically explosive regions. The area was once a patchwork of small farms and recovering forest, but over the past two decades it has been transformed into a conservation stronghold. Thanks to reforestation efforts and careful stewardship, the surrounding slopes now form a lush corridor between the lower Amazon basin and the cloud‑draped Andes above. Mist drifts through the canopy, orchids cling to moss‑laden branches, and the air hums—quite literally—with wings.
The feeders at WildSumaco are legendary, and it doesn’t take long before the first wave of hummingbirds announces itself. The Green Hermit sweeps in like a forest shadow, its long decurved bill and streaming tail giving it a prehistoric elegance.
Nearby, the Gray-chinned Hermit darts in and out of the understory, a quieter, more delicate presence that seems to materialize only when the light hits just right.
At the feeders, the Sparkling Violetear lives up to its name—flashing iridescent greens and violets as it defends its perch with unapologetic bravado.
Its cousin, the Brown Violetear, is subtler but no less striking, with warm earth‑toned plumage that glows softly in the cloudforest light.
Also present was a Lesser Violetear, completing the trifecta of violetears in Ecuador at the same feeder.
Then the smaller jewels begin to appear. The Black-throated Mango slices through the clearing with a sleek, aerodynamic silhouette, its dark throat shimmering with metallic greens.
The Peruvian Racket-tail drifts in, its twin racket-shaped tail feathers bobbing behind it like ornaments suspended in midair.
And finally, the Wire-crested Thorntail, one of the most whimsical hummingbirds on Earth, hovers like a tiny helicopter—its wiry crest and needle‑thin tail giving it a fairy‑like charm. Together, these species create a kaleidoscope of motion—a feather-filled frenzy that defines WildSumaco’s Andean edge.
NEXT UP: EB#37 “The Numbers Keep Climbing: WildSumaco’s Hummingbird Explosion Continues“
Additional Photographs and Video
Previous Ecuador Birding Blog Posts:
- EB55 – Leaving Guango Behind: Birds, Volcanoes, and the Long Drive to Tambo Cóndor
A quiet final morning at Guango Lodge eased us from the familiar rhythm of cloudforest birds into a dramatic high‑Andean crossing, where stark volcanic landscapes and sweeping vistas carried us toward the cliffs of Tambo Cóndor and the promise of a new chapter in the journey. This blog series chronicles Jim Gain’s experiences with a birding tour in Ecuador. - EB54 – Life in the Whitewater: Torrent Ducks of the Papallacta River
A breathless, high‑altitude chase along the river turned into a triumphant, hard‑won encounter with Torrent Ducks, ending the day at Guango Lodge with the exhilaration of finally photographing one of the trip’s most coveted species. This blog series chronicles Jim Gain’s experiences with a birding tour in Ecuador. - EB53 – Back to the Cloudforest: A Gentle Afternoon at Guango Lodge
In October 2025, Jim Gain joined a birding tour in Ecuador, exploring its rich biodiversity and stunning landscapes over 14 days. The blog series chronicles his experiences with birds and nature. - EB52 – High Hopes in High Places: A Visit to the Andes Páramo
The climb from Guango Lodge into the fog‑shrouded páramo unfolded as a dramatic journey through wind, altitude, and high‑Andean specialists—culminating in rare encounters, fleeting moments of luck, and a gradual descent back into the familiar embrace of the cloudforest. This blog series chronicles Jim Gain’s experiences with a birding tour in Ecuador in October 2025 - EB51 – Back to the Feeders: New Colors in the Gardens of Guango Lodge
The lower gardens at Guango Lodge offered a gentle, intimate finale to the morning, where warblers, tanagers, thrushes, and a trio of hummingbirds created a quiet tapestry of color and motion. This blog series chronicles Jim Gain’s experiences with a birding tour in Ecuador. - EB50 – Called From the Mist: Gray‑breasted Mountain‑Toucan at Guango
A steep climb above Guango Lodge led to an unforgettable encounter with Gray‑breasted Mountain‑Toucans and Pale‑naped Brushfinches. This blog series chronicles Jim Gain’s experiences with a birding tour in Ecuador.
>>Ecuador Birding Blog Home Page Link https://reflectionsofthenaturalworld.com/ecuador-birding/
*This Ecuador Birding blog post was shaped and polished with the assistance of Microsoft Copilot, helping bring clarity and a consistent flow to my field notes and dictated memories.
**Unless otherwise indicated in the image caption, all photographs (>99%) are mine.
Reflections of the Natural World 
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