The Colorful Puffleg was once thought extinct until it was rediscovered in November 1997. The Puffleg obviously gets it’s name from it’s cottonball-like feathering on its thighs.

It is found in Columbia in several locations; Cerro Charguayaco, north-east of Cerro Munchique on the Pacific slope of the west Andes in Cauca, south-west Colombia and in Munchique National Park, Serrania del Pinche and at El Planchón in the Cordillera Occidental.

It favors the understory to mid-levels (to c.5 m) of lower montane, wet forest, and forest edges and feeds, as most hummingbird do, on flower nectar.

As with all of my recent images posts, the Colorful Puffleg is a bird that is in serious trouble. It is estimated there are between 250 and 999 Pufflegs left. They are endangered due to logging and fires from “slash and burn” land clearance for illegal coca cultivation.

Created using the artist’s 3D digital bird model from his Songbird ReMix series. songbirdremix.com