The Story
I photographed this Rufous-tailed Hummingbird (Amazilia tzacatl) at Finca La Conchita, in the Kilómetro 18 area near Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia, in October 2019. It ranges from east-central Mexico through Central America and Colombia into Ecuador and Venezuela. Its mostly chestnut-brown tail gives it its name, and its bill is red with a black tip. It is common at sugar-water feeders and in coffee and banana plantations. It is extremely territorial at flower patches and feeders, chasing off other hummingbirds and large insects. IUCN lists it as Least Concern, though its numbers are believed to be falling.
I made this frame with a Pentax K-1 and the HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6, at 1/640 sec, f/5.6, ISO 3200, −0.7 EV. It may even benefit from people, since clearing forest opens up the spaces it uses.
©2019 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