The Wilson Journal of Ornithology 123 ( 1 ): 85 - 92 , 2011 
OBSERVATIONS ON THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE ROYAL 
SUNANGEL (HELIANGELUS REGALIS ) IN THE NANGARITZA 
VALLEY, ECUADOR 
JUAN F. FREILE , 14 PAOLO PIEDRAHITA , 2 GALO BUITRON-JURADO , 2 
CARLOS A. RODRIGUEZ , 2 OSWALDO JADAN , 3 AND ELISA BONACCORSO 2 
ABSTRACT.—The Royal Sunangel ( Heliangelus regalis ) is endemic to sandstone ridges in southeast Ecuador and 
northeast Peru. This hummingbird is currently considered endangered, although little has been published on its nature 
history, distribution, and conservation. We found H. regalis in three habitat types, but abundance was higher in stunted 
shrubland, at ridgetops. It was observed to feed on seven plant species, mostly following regular feeding routes, etween 
and 2.5 m above ground. We describe six different vocalizations, as well as two flight displays, and observations on socia 
interactions. We also discuss its current conservation status in Ecuador, where we estimate that —2,500 indivi ua s rnig t 
persist. Received 5 April 2010. Accepted 8 September 2010. 
The Royal Sunangel (Heliangelus regalis) 
occurs in ridgetop and adjacent stunted forests in 
the Cordillera del Condor, Cordillera de Colan, 
Cordillera Azul, and other ridges with poor sandy 
soils in extreme southeastern Ecuador and north¬ 
eastern Peru (BirdLife International 2009). It was 
considered endemic to Peru (its southernmost 
locality being Pauya, Cordillera Azul, Departa- 
mento San Martin; Schulenberg et al. 2001) until 
recently (Schulenberg et al. 2007). Krabbe and 
Ahlman (2009) presented the first documented 
record for Ecuador from a shrubby forest on a 
sandstone mountain in the Nangaritza Valley, 
Zamora Chinchipe Province. 
Heliangelus regalis is currently ranked as 
globally Endangered because of its limited 
distributional range, where selective logging and 
forest clearing are increasing, and where large- 
scale mining exploitation represents a major 
threat. Heliangelus regalis is seemingly rather 
numerous locally in the Cordillera del Condor, 
Cordillera de Colan, and Cordillera Azul (Schu- 
•enberg et al. 2001, 2007). However, its global 
Population is likely small, confined to unique 
orests in a limited center of endemism ( Andean 
'dgetop Forests; Stattersfield et al. 1998). Little 
ls known about the ecology, distribution, and 
conservation status of the Royal Sunangel (Sed- 
d °n et al. 1996). 
'Fundacion Numashir, Casilla Postal 17-12-122, Quito, 
Ecuador. 
M use ° de Zooiogfa (QCAZ), Pontificia Universidad 
10 'ca del Ecuador, Avenida 12 de Octubre 1076 y Roca, 
Quito, Ecuador. 
Lo H p bario R e ' na ldo Espinosa, Universidad Nacional de 
Jru ludad Universitaria La Argelia, Loja, Ecuador, 
^responding author; e-mail: jfreileo@yahoo.com 
We undertook observations on the natural 
history of H. regalis at two different localities 
(above Miazi and above Yankuam) during field 
work for a rapid assessment of two sandstone, 
flat-top ridgetops (locally called “tepuis’' be¬ 
cause of resemblance to the Guianan table-top 
mountains) currently protected by the local com¬ 
munity of Las Orquideas (04 13' 58.8" S, 78 
39 ' o" W, 900 m asl). We present our field obser¬ 
vations to briefly assess its habitat preferences, 
comparing our results with previous habitat 
descriptions (Fitzpatrick et al. 1979, Seddon et 
al. 1996), contribute data on its diet, displays, 
vocalizations, and social interactions, and discuss 
its current conservation status. 
OBSERVATIONS 
Field Identification. —Field identification of 
ales was straight forward, as H. regalis is the 
ily hummingbird entirely violet-blue, which 
oks mostly black in poor light conditions. 
> m ales were identified by pale tawny underparts 
ith some green streaking-spotting in the throat 
id a plain tawny buff crescent in the chest with a 
ther long, deep blue forked tail (Schulenberg et 
2007). There was no overlap with other 
eliangelus species and identification of female 
umage birds is considered accurate (Krabbe and 
hlman 2009). 
Habitat. —We observed H. regalis in three 
ifferent vegetation types (Table 1). On 8 April 
309 we observed a single female in the under- 
on/ of stunted shrubland on a ridgetop above 
Iiaz i (04° 15' 0" S, 78° 37'1.2" W; Fig. 1). 
egetation at this site was characterized by low 
ature, twisted canopy ( 2-8 m in height), many 
piphytes and hemiepiphytes, and dense under- 
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