+593 99 279 99 46. Quito, Ecuador. Travel with a purpose, help us save the rainforest. Visit our Lodge in Mindo.
Visit our lodge in Mindo, Ecuador and enjoy literally hundreds of hummingbirds flying around our terraces and take a hummingbird day tour off reserve to admire additional species. 25 species in 1 day.
First, here are some fun facts about hummingbirds:
1. They are the smallest migrating bird. They don’t migrate in flocks like other species, and they typically travel alone for up to 500 miles at a time.
2. Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly backwards.
3. The average weight of a hummingbird is less than a nickel.
4. Their tiny legs are only used for perching and moving sideways while perched. They can’t walk or hop.
5. There are over 360 species of hummingbirds in North and South America, 15 in the US and 135 in Ecuador.
6. It takes less than a week (about five to seven days) for a hummingbird to build its nest. Built by females only, nests are made of lichen, moss, and spiderwebs.
7. We're still discovering new hummingbird species.
The Blue-throated Hillstar was discovered as recently as 2017. Researchers estimate that there are fewer than 1,000 individuals, found only in a small region in southwestern Ecuador.
8. Most hummingbirds beat their wings 60 to 80 times per second.
The name hummingbird comes from the humming sound their wings make as they fly. These birds' flexible shoulder joints allow their wings to rotate 180 degrees, which enables backward flight and stationary hovering.
9. Their life span is 3-5 years.
10. Their heart beat is up to 1260 almost 10 times higher than humans.
Join us for a birding day tour where you will see tons of hummingbird species, at our reserve we have registered 26 hummingbird species so far and a trip of 15 minutes by car allows you to enjoy around 10+ additional species.
We offer multi flash equipment for rent.
Take a birding day tour with us and get more of those beautiful creatures
You can get up to 50 different species in a 2 week trip
All photos by Hans Heinz (owner and photo instructor)
Meet Hans, your host
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Plan with us your visit to the Choco Andino cloud forest, one of the most biodiverse spots in the world, and get involved in our conservation project
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