Haplophaedia lugens
A diminutive yet striking hummingbird, the Hoary Puffleg (*Haplophaedia lugens*) measures approximately 9-10 cm in length and weighs a mere 4.5-5.5 grams. Its plumage is primarily a glittering emerald green, transitioning to a duller greenish-gray on its underside and undertail coverts. The species' most iconic feature, and the inspiration for its common name, are the dense, fluffy white feather tufts adorning its legs, resembling miniature snowshoes or bloomers. It possesses a short, straigh...
Found in humid montane forests, cloud forests, and their edges, typically at mid-elevations from 1,500 to 2,800 meters.
Feeds primarily on nectar from small, tubular flowers and small arthropods gleaned from vegetation or caught in flight.
Diurnal, the Hoary Puffleg is an active forager from dawn to dusk, often retreating to dense vegetation to roost at night. It employs a 'trap-lining' foraging strategy, systematically visiting a circuit of scattered flowers for nectar, supplementing its diet by gleaning small arthropods from foli...
The Hoary Puffleg is a resident species endemic to the humid montane forests of the northern Andes, primarily found on the western slopes of Colombia and Ecuador. In Colombia, its distribution extends southward through the Western and Central Andes, reaching departments such as Nariño. Further so...
Least Concern
- The 'Hoary' in its name refers to the prominent white, frosty-looking feather tufts (puffs) on its legs. - These unique leg feathers are thought to provide warmth in its cool, high-altitude cloud forest habitat, or potentially play a role in display. - Unlike many hummingbirds that hover promin...