The Story
The shot
I made this photo of a Steely-vented Hummingbird (Saucerottia saucerottei) at the Jardín Botánico del Quindío in Calarcá, Quindío, Colombia, on July 17, 2018. The Steely-vented Hummingbird is found in Colombia and northwestern Venezuela, in forest clearings, second growth and cultivated areas. Males forage on flowers in low shrubs and tree crowns. The garden’s butterfly house is a large open-air vivarium, home to more than 30 butterfly species native to Colombia. IUCN lists the Steely-vented Hummingbird as Least Concern, with a decreasing population.
I used a Pentax K-1 with the HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6 for this one, at 1/250 sec, f/5.6, ISO 200. The garden opened to the public in 2000, supports itself with help from the community and partner organizations, and has been a leader in ecotourism in the region.
©2019 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Steely-vented Hummingbird (Saucerottia saucerottei) belongs to the family Trochilidae (Hummingbirds) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2021), with the population trend listed as decreasing. Source: IUCN Red List
