Eriocnemis mirabilis
The Colorful Puffleg, *Eriocnemis mirabilis*, is a critically endangered hummingbird renowned for its dazzling iridescence and distinctive leg puffs. Measuring approximately 10-11 cm in length and weighing just 3.5-4.5 grams, this tiny avian jewel displays a brilliant emerald green body, contrasting with a deep violet-blue throat and belly, often appearing black in poor light. Its most striking features are the dense, fluffy white feather tufts adorning its thighs - the "pufflegs" - which are...
This species inhabits humid montane cloud forests and their associated scrubby edges, primarily at elevations ranging from 2,300 to 3,400 meters (7,500 to 11,200 feet) above sea level. It prefers dense, shrubby vegetation with abundant flowering plants, often near steep ravines.
The primary diet of the Colorful Puffleg consists of nectar collected from a variety of flowering plants, particularly those with long, tubular corollas, supplemented by small arthropods caught in flight or gleaned from vegetation for protein.
Colorful Pufflegs are diurnal, highly active hummingbirds, constantly flitting between flowers during daylight hours and likely entering torpor at night to conserve energy. They employ a trap-lining foraging strategy, repeatedly visiting a circuit of favored flowering plants for nectar, supplemen...
The Colorful Puffleg boasts an incredibly restricted and fragmented range, being endemic solely to a small region within the Peruvian Andes. Its known distribution is limited to just two small areas in the Department of Amazonas, specifically within the Utcubamba and Huayabamba valleys, near the ...
Critically Endangered
- The "puffleg" in its name refers to the prominent tufts of dense white feathers on its thighs, a distinguishing feature of the *Eriocnemis* genus. - It was only discovered by science in 1972, making it a relatively recent addition to the catalog of known bird species. - This hummingbird is ende...