White sided Flowerpiercer
Diglossa albilatera
Mountains
The White sided Flowerpiercer is a small bird that comes in two sexes: males are slaty blackish, and females are a fairly dark olive-brownish color. Both sexes have a white flash on their sides that is usually partially visible, especially when they flick their wings. The bird’s upturned bill, which has a hook at the tip, is typical of a flowerpiercer. It can be found at middle elevations ranging from 1,800 to 2,800 meters in the Andes, from Venezuela to Peru. The bird is usually found at the forest edge or shrubby areas and can be seen singly, in pairs, or following a mixed-species flock.
This species can be observed during our bird photography trips in Chocó Andino in Ecuador.
