description Hoary puffleg Overview
The Hoary puffleg, scientifically known as Haplophaedia lugens, is a Near Threatened species of hummingbird native to South America. It is geographically restricted to a narrow band of the Pacific slope of the Andes, specifically ranging from western Colombia down into northwestern Ecuador. The bird is distinguished by its dark green plumage and the distinctive, dense white feathers covering its legs, which resemble puffs. It depends on humid montane forests and is threatened by ongoing habitat destruction and deforestation within its limited range.
help Hoary puffleg FAQ
Where can I find the hoary puffleg in the wild?
Haplophaedia lugens is restricted to the Pacific slope of the Andes, from Nariño in southwestern Colombia south to Pichincha in Ecuador. Its narrow cross-border range makes it a localized hummingbird rather than a broadly distributed South American species. [BirdLife factsheet](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/hoary-puffleg-haplophaedia-lugens)
What habitat and elevation does the hoary puffleg prefer?
It uses humid cloud forest, forest edges, and scrub, often staying in dense low vegetation near streams. Records range from about 1,200 to 2,000 meters, with Colombian records locally reaching 2,500 meters. [Hoary puffleg habitat information](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoary_puffleg)
What does the hoary puffleg eat?
It feeds mainly on nectar near the ground and defends flower patches as a territorial hummingbird. Recorded food plants include Besleria, Palicourea, Thibaudia, and other short-corolla flowers, along with insects gleaned from leaves. [Hoary puffleg ecology](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoary_puffleg)
Why is the hoary puffleg classified as Near Threatened?
The species has a very small range, and suitable cloud-forest habitat is being lost through deforestation and degradation. Its population size is not known and is believed to be declining, which supports its Near Threatened status. [BirdLife conservation factsheet](https://datazone.birdlife.org/species/factsheet/hoary-puffleg-haplophaedia-lugens)
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