Black-breasted Puffleg
A species of Typical Pufflegs Scientific name : Eriocnemis nigrivestis Genus : Typical Pufflegs
Black-breasted Puffleg, A species of Typical Pufflegs
Botanical name: Eriocnemis nigrivestis
Genus: Typical Pufflegs
Content
Description General Info
Description
The species reaches a length of 8–9 cm. It is sexually dimorphic, with the male having black upper- and underparts, dark blue tail coverts, and a violet-blue throat and undertail-coverts. The female is bronze-green above, bluish-green on rump and uppertail-coverts, golden-green underparts and a pale blue chin. Both sexes have a straight black bill, a forked tail and white pufflegs, from which the common name is derived. There is no characteristic vocalization; the species is generally quite silent, but may on occasion emit a monotonous and metallic "tseet tseet tseet" when it flies away. 
Size
9 cm
Feeding Habits
Black-breasted Puffleg's diet mainly consists of nectar from flowers like Palicourea huigrensis and shrubs. They forage mainly below 2m in dense vegetation, hovering or perching for feeding. They also catch insects by flycatching and may feed from holes in flowers made by Glossy Flowerpiercers.
Habitat
Black-breasted Puffleg is found in high-elevation temperate zones, primarily occupying stunted elfin forests characterized by a denser understory of ericads and epiphytes, with an average canopy height of 8-10 meters. The choice of habitat is selectively on flat ridge crests near páramo, where vegetation is shorter and denser compared to surrounding areas. Black-breasted Puffleg also utilizes grassy clearings, second growths, and Rubus-dominated areas. Records indicate that black-breasted Puffleg exhibits some seasonal altitudinal movement, likely linked to plant flowering cycles, ranging from 2400 m to 4600 m, with the most activity between 2745–3050 m in spring and 3100–4570 m in winter. During non-breeding seasons, males are generally found at higher altitudes than females.
Dite type
Nectivorous
General Info
Distribution Area
The black-breasted puffleg is endemic to north-western Ecuador, where it currently appears restricted to the ridge crests of the Pichincha Volcano, the Cordillera de Toisán, Esmeraldas and Imbabura. Based on possible sightings in 1983 and 2010, it may still occur on Atacazo. Unconfirmed sightings exist for several other locations. It may be seen on the Reserva Yanacocha, just outside of Quito, managed by the Fundación Jocotoco. The species occurs in humid and wet cloud and montane forest at altitudes of 1,700-3,500 m.
Species Status
The species is classified as Endangered by the IUCN based on its restricted range and extremely low population numbers. A 2015 assessment estimated a total number of 210-268 individuals (of which roughly 140-180 would be adults), and the population is believed to have shrunk by 10-20% per decade in the recent past. Although the black-breasted puffleg has recently been rediscovered in small populations outside its main range on the Pichincha volcano, its total area of occurrence is estimated as no larger than 80 km. Of the habitat in its original range, 93-97% are considered to have been degraded or destroyed by agricultural expansion, logging and cattle grazing, and these practices remain the main threats to the species, together with natural and human-induced fires. A primary source of habitat loss has been the construction of the Oleoducto de Crudos Pesados (OCP) for oil transportation, a route that was established through one of the last remnants of forest. On June 23, 2005, the Municipality of Quito adopted the black-breasted puffleg as the emblem of the capital city.
Scientific Classification
Phylum
Chordates Class
Birds Order
Swifts and hummingbirds Family
Hummingbirds Genus
Typical Pufflegs Species
Black-breasted Puffleg 
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