Sword-billed Hummingbird

To capture the Sword-billed Hummingbird on camera, you must focus on its food source. Standard hummingbird feeders with flat ports are often difficult for this species to use comfortably; instead, position your camera near stands of Passiflora mixta (Passionflower) or Brugmansia (Angel's Trumpet). Place your camera about 4 to 6 feet high, angled slightly upward to catch the bird as it hovers beneath these hanging, tubular blooms. Because the bill is so long, you need a wider depth of field than usual to keep both the tip of the beak and the bird’s eye in sharp focus.

Since these birds inhabit high-altitude cloud forests where light can be dim and misty, a camera with good low-light performance is essential. Set a fast shutter speed—at least 1/2000th of a second—if you want to freeze the wing motion, or use a slower shutter with a flash to highlight the iridescent green feathers. For trail cameras, look for models with a 'fast trigger' or 'burst mode' to ensure you don't just catch a tail feather as the bird zips in and out of the frame.

The best time for photography is mid-morning when the mist begins to lift but the flowers are still heavy with nectar. If you are using a backyard setup in the Andes, consider planting a 'nectar corridor' of native long-tubed plants to encourage the bird to stick around. Be patient; these birds often have a regular 'trap-line' route, meaning they will return to the same flowers at roughly the same time every day once they discover a reliable source.