Wings in Battle: Hummingbirds in Flight

While in the cloud forest at Mashpi Lodge, northwest of Quito, we encountered an intense moment—two hummingbirds locked in mid-air, wings blurred, eyes sharp. It wasn't a peaceful scene. This was a territorial clash, a split-second reminder that nature is full of energy, competition, and instinct.

The area is home to over 20 different hummingbird species, all adapted to life at altitude. Their wings beat up to 80 times per second, allowing them to fly in every direction—even hovering or moving backward. With heart rates that can exceed 1,200 beats per minute, their lives are lived at full speed.

This moment lasted less than a second. But it captured life's high tension and fast pace in Ecuador's cloud forest.