Gorgeted Puffleg
Encyclopedia
The Gorgeted Puffleg is a hummingbird
endemic to Colombia
. This species was discovered in 2005, but not confirmed as new until 2007. It faces the risk of extinction, and therefore a status of Critically Endangered
has been recommended: its only known habitat, the cloud forest
s of the Serrania del Pinche (Choco region), is under threat by agriculture, especially coca
farming.
The Gorgeted Puffleg measures between 90 and 100 millimeters (3.5 to 4 inches) in length. The name of the species is in relation to the gorget
on the throat of the male, a patch of iridescent green and brilliant blue feather
s, and from the puffs of white feathers at the thighs
.
Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are birds that comprise the family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5–13 cm range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings...
endemic to Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
. This species was discovered in 2005, but not confirmed as new until 2007. It faces the risk of extinction, and therefore a status of Critically Endangered
Critically Endangered
Critically Endangered is the highest risk category assigned by the IUCN Red List for wild species. Critically Endangered means that a species' numbers have decreased, or will decrease, by 80% within three generations....
has been recommended: its only known habitat, the cloud forest
Cloud forest
A cloud forest, also called a fog forest, is a generally tropical or subtropical evergreen montane moist forest characterized by a persistent, frequent or seasonal low-level cloud cover, usually at the canopy level. Cloud forests often exhibit an abundance of mosses covering the ground and...
s of the Serrania del Pinche (Choco region), is under threat by agriculture, especially coca
Coca
Coca, Erythroxylum coca, is a plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. The plant plays a significant role in many traditional Andean cultures...
farming.
The Gorgeted Puffleg measures between 90 and 100 millimeters (3.5 to 4 inches) in length. The name of the species is in relation to the gorget
Gorget (birds)
A gorget is a patch of colored feathers found on the throat or upper breast of some species of birds. It is a feature found on many male hummingbirds, particularly those found in North America; these gorgets are typically iridescent. Other species, such as the Purple-throated Fruitcrow and Chukar...
on the throat of the male, a patch of iridescent green and brilliant blue feather
Feather
Feathers are one of the epidermal growths that form the distinctive outer covering, or plumage, on birds and some non-avian theropod dinosaurs. They are considered the most complex integumentary structures found in vertebrates, and indeed a premier example of a complex evolutionary novelty. They...
s, and from the puffs of white feathers at the thighs
Bird anatomy
Bird anatomy, or the physiological structure of birds' bodies, shows many unique adaptations, mostly aiding flight. Birds have a light skeletal system and light but powerful musculature which, along with circulatory and respiratory systems capable of very high metabolic rates and oxygen supply,...
.
External links
- BirdLife InternationalBirdLife InternationalBirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
: Hi-res photograph of male individual. Retrieved 2007-05-15.
