Sparkling Violetear Birds Loja.

Distribution

Mostly 100 – 3500 msnm

Sparkling Violetear, Birds of Loja.- Widespread and often common in semiopen and agricultural areaswithscatered tree, gardens, subtropical and (especially) temperate woodland and forest borders on both slopes and in central and interandean valleys. One of the few hummers found in areas with little or no native vegetattion.

In Loja is a common bird found around the city specially where exists the calistemo trees.

Descrption

Bill slightly decurved (25 mm; 1″).

Above shining green with long glittering violet ear-patch extending from sides of neck to chin. Below mostly glittering green with patch of glittering violet-blue on midbelly. Tail metallic blue, central feathers greener, with dark subterminal band. Female shows white post ocular spot lacking in male. 

Habits.

Beautiful and conspicuos, this one of the most frecuently encountered hummingbirds in semiopen and arid areas in the highlands; elsewhere it seems more irregular or perhaps seasonal . Regularly comes to hummingbird feeders. Males are very aggresive in territorial defense.

Voice.

Males song, one of the characteristic bird sounds in many highland areas, and often interminably repeated “tik” note, given more rapidly than Green Violetear and with a less sharp and mechanical quality. Sparkling Violetear, Birds of Loja

Usually is called ” el herrerito”, (smith) for this mechanical sound.

Information taken from the book Birds Of Ecuador of Robert Ridgely and Paul Greenfield