Golden-breasted Puffleg

Common name: Golden-breasted Puffleg
Scientific name: Eriocnemis mosquera
Clades: Heliantheini - Brilliants

The Golden-breasted Puffleg is a stunning hummingbird species that is native to the cloud forests of Colombia and Ecuador. This small bird is known for its iridescent plumage, with bright golden-yellow coloring on its breast and throat, contrasted by shimmering green and blue feathers on its back and wings. The male Golden-breasted Puffleg also features a distinctive iridescent violet crest on its head, adding to its striking appearance.

This species primarily feeds on nectar from flowers, using its long, slender bill to reach deep into tubular blossoms. In addition to nectar, the Golden-breasted Puffleg supplements its diet with small insects and spiders, which it catches in mid-air or plucks from leaves and branches. Its agile flight patterns and rapid wingbeats make it well-adapted to capturing prey on the wing.