Sapphire-vented Puffleg (Eriocnemis luciani)

Identification & Behavior: ~11.5 cm (4.5 in). The male Sapphire-vented Puffleg is green above and mostly iridescent green below without a gorget. The undertail coverts are iridescent purple. The female is green above and below, with median belly band in the sub-species sapphiropygia.  Both sexes have a dark blue forked tail (deeper in the male) and snowy white puffy thighs.  The bill is black and straight. It is similar to the Glowing Puffleg but is distinguished by larger size, and by having all green underparts without a gorget. The female Glowing Puffleg has rufous on the underparts.

Status: The Sapphire-vented Puffleg is uncommon and widespread at the edges of montane forests of the east slope of the Andes at elevations ranging between 2400-3500 m. It also occurs in Co and Ec.

Name in Spanish: Calzadito de Cola Larga.

Sub-species: Sapphire-vented Puffleg (Eriocnemis luciani catharina), Salvin, 1897. E slope of Andes of N Peru (Utcubamba Valley in Amazonas and E La Libertad).
(Eriocnemis luciani sapphiropygia), Taczanowski, 1874. E Andes of C & S Peru (La Libertad S to Puno).

Meaning of Name: Eriocnemis: Gr. Erion=  wool knēmis=  boot, legging. luciani: In honor of Jean Baptiste Lucien Buquet (1807-1889) French entomologist.

See more of the Family Trochilidae