Haplophaedia aureliae
The Greenish Puffleg (Haplophaedia aureliae) is a captivating medium-sized hummingbird, measuring approximately 9-10 cm in length and weighing a modest 4-5 grams. Its plumage is predominantly iridescent emerald green, often appearing bronze-green in certain lights, with a contrasting dull grayish-green belly. A distinct white post-ocular spot or stripe is often visible, aiding identification. The most striking and eponymous field mark is the dense, fluffy tufts of pure white feathers adorning...
This species thrives in humid montane cloud forests, forest borders, and secondary growth, often favoring areas near ravines and streams. It typically inhabits elevations ranging from 1,200 to 2,800 meters above sea level.
Its primary diet consists of nectar from a variety of flowering plants, often those with short corollas, supplemented by small insects caught in flight (hawking).
The Greenish Puffleg is a diurnal and highly active hummingbird, spending its days darting between flowers and hawking for insects. It employs a "trap-lining" foraging strategy, systematically visiting a circuit of scattered flowers, but will also vigorously defend rich patches of favored blossom...
The Greenish Puffleg is a resident species found exclusively in the humid montane cloud forests of the Andes in South America. Its distribution stretches across Colombia, Ecuador, and into northern Peru, with different subspecies occupying distinct geographic areas. The nominate subspecies, *H. a...
Least Concern
- The Greenish Puffleg's common name, "Puffleg," refers to the conspicuous tufts of white, downy feathers on its legs, a distinctive feature shared by all species in the genus Haplophaedia. - These leg puffs are thought to serve multiple functions, including thermal insulation in the cool, high-a...