The Story
This Long-tailed Sylph (Aglaiocercus kingii) perched in a moment of stillness at La Minga Ecolodge in Dapa, near Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia, its long tail flowing well below the branch in a strong vertical line. Its emerald-green plumage with subtle blue iridescence stands out against the muted cloud-forest background, softened by distance and diffused light. The species lives in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela, between 900 and 3,000 meters. It feeds on nectar and insects, usually hovering at flowers, though it sometimes clings to them or pierces the base of a flower to take nectar. IUCN lists it as Least Concern.
I made this frame with a Canon R5 and the RF 800mm f/11, at 1/750 sec, f/11, ISO 6400, −0.5 EV. La Minga sits in the cloud forest of the Kilometer 18 area, about an hour from Cali.
©2026 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Long-tailed Sylph (Aglaiocercus kingii) 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 2024), with the population trend listed as decreasing. Source: IUCN Red List