Ecuadorian Hillstar (Oreotrochilus chimborazo) [XC512439]
by Juan Freile from El Cajas NP, Azuay, Ecuador (call)
Ecuadorian Hillstar (Oreotrochilus chimborazo) [XC871767]
by Juan Freile from Capac \u00d1an above Achupallas near Chiripungo, prov. Chimborazo, Ecuador (flight call, chase calls in flight)
Subspecies
Forms a superspecies with Andean Hillstar (Oreotrochilus estella), Green-headed Hillstar (Oreotrochilus stolzmanni) and White-sided Hillstar (Oreotrochilus leucopleurus), and all have been considered conspecific, but separated largely on morphological grounds. Subspecies soederstroemi is sometimes thought to be an intergrade of jamesonii and nominate, but it is apparently isolated geographically from both of them.
The following 3 subspecies are recognised:
jamesonii Jardine, 1849 - Mountains of extreme southern Colombia and northern Ecuador (Cotacachi, Pichincha, Iliniza, Antisana, Cotopaxi).
soderstromi Lönnberg and Rendahl, 1922 - Central Ecuador (Mt Quilotoa).
chimborazo (DeLattre & Bourcier, 1846) - Central Ecuador (Mt Chimborazo, possibly also Azuay).