Habitat
Premontane and montane evergreen forest, primarily on low, outlying ridges, but also altered habitats as long as forest patches and thickets of secondary growth remain. From 400 - 1,500 m.
Southern Colombia (western Putumayo) through eastern Ecuador to north-eastern Peru (San Martín).
 
Population
Estimated population is unknown (2010) and decreasing.
Status VU
Habitat destruction and degradation due to intense pressure from agriculture and cattle pasture, low-intensity farming, tea and coffee growing, mining operations and logging, is the main threat.
For more information see BirdLife International Species Factsheet.
Ecuadorian Piedtail (Phlogophilus hemileucurus) [XC238833]
by Niels Krabbe from Zamora-Chinchipe: R\u00edo Bombuscaro, Ecuador (song)
Ecuadorian Piedtail (Phlogophilus hemileucurus) [XC428478]
by Jerome Fischer from Reserva Natural La Isla Escondida, Orito, Putumayo, Colombia (song)
Subspecies
Has occasionally been placed in genus Adelomyia but more information required to permit accurate assessment of most appropriate generic placement. Forms a superspecies with Peruvian Piedtail (Phlogophilus harterti).