Black-thighed Puffleg vs Golden-breasted Puffleg

Eriocnemis derbyi compared with Eriocnemis mosquera

Key Differences

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

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Black-thighed Puffleg	Golden-breasted Puffleg
Kingdom same	Animalia (สัตว์)	Animalia (สัตว์)
Phylum same	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)
Class same	Aves (นก)	Aves (นก)
Order same	Apodiformes (Apodiformes)	Apodiformes (Apodiformes)
Family same	Trochilidae	Trochilidae
Genus same	Eriocnemis	Eriocnemis
Species	Eriocnemis derbyi	Eriocnemis mosquera

Evolutionary Relationship

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

Conservation Status

Black-thighed Puffleg

NT — Near Threatened

Golden-breasted Puffleg

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Black-thighed Puffleg	Golden-breasted 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.

Golden-breasted Puffleg

Habitat

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

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Ecuador, and Norway.

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.

Golden-breasted Puffleg

A brilliantly colored puffleg hummingbird named for its bright golden-green breast plumage, golden-breasted pufflegs inhabit the high Andes of Colombia and Ecuador at elevations of 1,800–3,500 meters in humid montane forest. Males display glittering golden-green and purple plumage with the characteristic white leg puffs that give pufflegs their name. They feed on nectar from diverse Andean flowering plants and are important pollinators of high-altitude floral communities. Listed as Least Concern.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 3 countries:

🇨🇴 Colombia 🇪🇨 Ecuador 🇳🇴 Norway