The indigo flowerpiercer is a species of bird in the family Thraupidae. It is found in humid forest on the lower west Andean slopes in northern Ecuador and Colombia.
Region
Andes Mountains
Typical Environment
Occurs on the humid, lower west Andean slopes of southwestern Colombia and northwestern Ecuador, especially in cloud forest and mature secondary forest. It frequents forest edges, clearings with flowering shrubs, and montane gardens. The species often forages in mid-story to canopy levels where tubular flowers are abundant. It can be locally common where suitable nectar sources and sheltering vegetation persist.
Altitude Range
900–2100 m
Climate Zone
Highland
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The indigo flowerpiercer uses a fine, hooked bill to pierce the base of tubular flowers and steal nectar, a behavior known as nectar robbing. It also supplements its diet with small insects and fruit, making it flexible in forest-edge habitats. Males are a deep indigo-blue, helping distinguish them from other blue-toned flowerpiercers on the west Andean slopes.
Temperament
active and somewhat territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with quick, darting movements
Social Behavior
Usually found singly or in pairs, sometimes joining mixed-species flocks along forest edges. Pairs maintain small territories around rich flowering patches. Nesting is presumed to be a small cup concealed in dense vegetation, as in other flowerpiercers.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a thin, high-pitched series of chips and short trills delivered from mid-story perches. Calls include sharp tsit notes and soft squeaks during foraging chases.
