Ecuadorian Hillstar at 13,000 ft.
Antisana National Park, Ecuador – October 18, 2022
— Ralph Paonessa
Canon EOS R5 * RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM * ISO 3200 * 1/8000 sec @ f/7.1
The beautiful Ecuadorian Hillstar is a high-altitude hummingbird found in the páramo, the unique environment above treeline in tropical mountain ranges.
The male is perched here on a chuquiraga, the orange-flowering evergreen shrub that is his preferred food source in the cold at 13,000 feet.
This image was shot hand-held with a touch of fill flash as we waited patiently for him to return to this perch on a pleasant day.
Photo ID: 20221018-182