Violet-tailed Sylph (Aglaiocercus coelestis) [XC261776]
by Olaf Jahn from Esmeraldas: San Vicente Alto, Cordillera de Lachas, Cotacachi-Cayapas Ecological Reserve, Ecuador (agitated twitter in flight)
Violet-tailed Sylph (Aglaiocercus coelestis) [XC65310]
by Andrew Spencer from Mindo Loma, Pichincha, Ecuador (call)
Subspecies
Genus name formerly given as Cyanolesbia, but this is not applicable. Forms a superspecies with Long-tailed Sylph (Aglaiocercus kingii) and Venezuelan Sylph (Aglaiocercus berlepschi). Formerly treated as a subspecies of Long-tailed Sylph (Aglaiocercus kingii), but morphology and range, especially altitudinal distribution, indicate species status more apt. Female notably different from that of Long-tailed Sylph (Aglaiocercus kingii).
Proposed subspecies pseudocoelestis best considered synonymous with nominate, since morphological differences are superficial.
The following 2 subspecies are recognised:
coelestis (Gould, 1861) - Pacific slope of western Andes of both Colombia and northern and central Ecuador.
aethereus (Chapman, 1925) - South-western Ecuador, south from Zaruma.
BirdLife International Species Factsheet