The Story
I photographed this male Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl) above Pradera, Valle del Cauca, Colombia, in the Andean foothills, in soft late-afternoon light. He is shown in profile on a slender branch. His head and back shine emerald green, his long red bill is tipped in black, and his rufous tail adds warm color against the blurred foliage. This widespread hummingbird lives from east-central Mexico through Central America and Colombia into Ecuador and Venezuela. It is 9 to 11 centimeters long and weighs about 5 grams. IUCN lists it as Least Concern. It feeds on nectar and small insects.
I photographed him from about 3.5 meters with a Canon R5 and the RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L, at 1/250 sec, f/6.7, ISO 800, −0.5 EV. Mirador Barlovento sits above Pradera on the western flank of the Cordillera Central.
©2026 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl) 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