Black-thighed Puffleg vs Glowing Puffleg

Eriocnemis derbyi compared with Eriocnemis vestita

Key Differences

• Black-thighed Puffleg is Near Threatened while Glowing Puffleg is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Black-thighed Puffleg	Glowing Puffleg
Kingdom same	Animalia (حيوانات)	Animalia (حيوانات)
Phylum same	Chordata (حبليات)	Chordata (حبليات)
Class same	Aves (طيور)	Aves (طيور)
Order same	Apodiformes (سماميات)	Apodiformes (سماميات)
Family same	Trochilidae	Trochilidae
Genus same	Eriocnemis	Eriocnemis
Species	Eriocnemis derbyi	Eriocnemis vestita

Evolutionary Relationship

Black-thighed Puffleg and Glowing Puffleg share a common ancestor at the Genus level: Eriocnemis.

Conservation Status

Black-thighed Puffleg

NT — Near Threatened

Glowing Puffleg

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Black-thighed Puffleg	Glowing Puffleg
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Black-thighed Puffleg

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, and Norway. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

Glowing Puffleg

Habitat

Typically found in various aerial, terrestrial, and aquatic environments.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, Norway, and Venezuela.

Black-thighed Puffleg

An Andean puffleg hummingbird named for the males' distinctive velvety black thighs contrasting with the characteristic white leg feather puffs, black-thighed pufflegs inhabit humid montane forest and forest edges in Ecuador and Colombia at elevations of 1,500–3,500 meters. Males display glittering green plumage with a violet-blue tail. Listed as Near Threatened due to deforestation of the Andean cloud forest, with populations declining as the specialized high-altitude forest habitat is cleared for agriculture.

Glowing Puffleg

A brilliantly colored puffleg hummingbird of the northern Andes from Colombia to southern Ecuador, glowing pufflegs display vivid iridescent green plumage that glows with an almost luminescent quality in bright light — inspiring the species' descriptive common name. Found in humid montane forest at elevations of 1,800–3,500 meters. Males have characteristic white leg puffs and a shimmering violet-blue tail. They are important pollinators of high-Andean flowering plants. Listed as Least Concern.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇨🇴 Colombia 🇪🇨 Ecuador 🇳🇴 Norway