Species profile
About this species
The Booted Racket-tail is a small, striking hummingbird native to Colombia, Ecuador, & Venezuela, notable for the distinctive elongated racket-shaped tail feathers of the male. The male displays vivid green plumage with white fluffy feathers on its legs resembling boots, while the female lacks the elaborate tail ornaments. This species is highly active & agile, frequently visiting flowering plants in forest edges & secondary growth areas.
Found primarily in lowland & foothill forests, forest edges, & secondary growth vegetation across Colombia, Ecuador, & Venezuela, particularly favouring areas with abundant flowering plants & shrubs up to elevations of around 1700 metres.
Where to photograph
Where our trips feature this species
You can photograph Booted Racket-tail with us in Colombia.
These departures are part of our South America programme.
In the field, David Miles helps guests make the most of these encounters.
Field notes
Photography notes
Early morning hours between sunrise & 9am offer the best light & highest activity levels, as the birds are most actively feeding. The dry season from November to April generally provides clearer skies & better lighting conditions for photography.
Use a fast shutter speed of at least 1/1600s to freeze the rapid wing beats & capture the distinctive tail feathers sharply. Position yourself near flowering plants where the bird regularly feeds, & use continuous burst mode to increase your chances of capturing the perfect moment. A telephoto lens of 400mm or longer is recommended to maintain a respectful distance while still achieving frame-filling compositions.
Available holidays
Trips featuring Booted Racket-tail
The holidays below are pulled from the same species relationship, so the guide stays tied to live departures rather than becoming a static article.