Centro Colibrí Gorriazul

Welcome to the Colibrí Gorriazul Research Center, named for the endemic Indigo-capped Hummingbird (Amazilia cyanifrons), found only in Colombia. Our farm is both a working shade-grown coffee farm and a hummingbird garden, in the hills above Fusagasugá, Colombia.

A large group of biologists coordinated by Alejandro Rico-Guevara and Kristiina Hurme study hummingbirds here. Originally a bird-friendly coffee farm, we started attracting more hummingbirds for our research, and word got around! We now have hundreds of hummingbirds at the feeders and gardens, with over 11 species visiting regularly.

We study their feeding, fighting, communication, learning, vision, and other behaviors by slowly habituating them to new feeders, cameras, and equipment. All of our subjects participate voluntarily — needless to say, they are not camera shy!

We are at 1,700 m, halfway up the western slope of the Eastern Cordillera of the Colombian Andes. We enjoy a mild climate and are visited by many species as they migrate up and down the mountains.

Meet our hummingbirds

Visitors include the feisty Brown Violetear, the loud and flamboyant Sparkling Violetear, Rufous-tailed and Indigo-capped Hummingbirds (our most numerous), the Green Hermit, Black-throated Mango, Red-billed Emerald, the rare Andean Emerald, and the tiny White-bellied Woodstar.

While in Colombia, be sure to visit the Observatorio de Colibríes! At 3,000 m you can see many Andean species, such as the Sword-billed Hummingbird. Follow us on Facebook.