Blue-capped puffleg
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
SPECIES
Eriocnemis glaucopoides

The blue-capped puffleg (Eriocnemis glaucopoides ) is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Argentina and Bolivia.

Appearance

The blue-capped puffleg is 9 to 13 cm (3.5 to 5.1 in) long and weighs 4.0 to 4.5 g (0.14 to 0.16 oz). It has a straight black bill. The male has dark green upperparts with a dark glittering blue forehead. Its underparts are mostly golden green, with a bluish green lower breast and shining purplish blue undertail coverts. Its leg puffs are white. The tail is long, forked, and blue-black. The female's upperparts are also dark green but without the blue forehead. Its throat, breast, and belly are bright cinnamon-buff and the undertail coverts have pale buff fringes. The female's tail is less deeply forked than the male's.

Distribution

Geography

Continents
Biogeographical realms

The blue-capped puffleg is the southernmost representative of its genus. It is found from Bolivia's La Paz and Cochabamba departments south into northwestern Argentina's Salta and Tucumán provinces. It generally inhabits humid slopes of grass and dense shubs and the edges of cloudforest. In Argentina it also occurs in somewhat dryer landscapes. In elevation it ranges from 1,500 to 3,400 m (4,900 to 11,200 ft) but is most common between 2,000 to 2,500 m (6,600 to 8,200 ft).

Blue-capped puffleg habitat map
Blue-capped puffleg habitat map
Blue-capped puffleg
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Habits and Lifestyle

The blue-capped puffleg is generally sedentary. However, it is known to make seasonal elevational movements in Argentina and suspected to do so in Bolivia.

Lifestyle
Seasonal behavior

Diet and Nutrition

Almost nothing is known about the blue-capped puffleg's diet or feeding behavior. It has been observed taking nectar from low-growing plants.

Mating Habits

The blue-capped puffleg has been documented breeding in November in Bolivia but little else is known about the species' breeding phenology. The female inclubates the clutch of two eggs but the incubation period and time to fledging are not known.

Population

Population number

The IUCN has assessed the blue-capped puffleg as being of Least Concern. Though its population size is not known it is believed to be stable, and no specific threats have been identified. It is considered overall to be rare but locally common and occurs in two national parks in Argentina.

References

1. Blue-capped puffleg Wikipedia article - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue-capped_puffleg
2. Blue-capped puffleg on The IUCN Red List site - https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22687936/93175785

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