[4] The giant hummingbird is widely distributed throughout the length of the Andes on both the east and west sides.

[5][6] The species persists through a large altitude range, with specimens retrieved from sea level up to 4600 m.[4] They have shown to be fairly resilient to urbanisation and agricultural activities; however, the removal of vegetation limits their distribution in dense city areas and industrial zones.

Contact between these previously accepted subspecies[3] is most likely to occur around the eastern slopes of the north Peruvian Andes.

The people of Chiloé Island believe that if a woman captures a hummingbird then they will gain great fertility from it.

[8] The range of the giant hummingbird is sizable, estimated at 1,200,000 km2 (460,000 sq mi), with total numbers of about 10,000 adults.