Photo: Pablo H Capovilla / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Blue-capped Puffleg
Eriocnemis glaucopoides
Blue-capped Puffleg (Eriocnemis glaucopoides) — Hummingbirds of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Blue-capped Puffleg (Eriocnemis glaucopoides) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 3.7 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Apodiformes
- Family Trochilidae Hummingbirds
- Genus Eriocnemis
- Species glaucopoides
Quick facts
- Weight
- 3.7 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Urban & human-modified
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Blue-capped Puffleg is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Behaviour
A bird of farmland, parks and gardens, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Blue-capped Puffleg is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Blue-capped Puffleg (Eriocnemis glaucopoides) is a species of bird in the Trochilidae family, part of the order Apodiformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA c Bolivia to nw Argentina.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 3.7 g, with a wing length of about 5 cm and a tail of around 3.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 57,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Blue-capped Puffleg?
The Blue-capped Puffleg is a very small bird that weighs around 3.7 g.
Where does the Blue-capped Puffleg live?
The Blue-capped Puffleg is found across South America with a range covering SA c Bolivia to nw Argentina, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.
What family does the Blue-capped Puffleg belong to?
The Blue-capped Puffleg (Eriocnemis glaucopoides) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Blue-capped Puffleg eat?
The Blue-capped Puffleg is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Blue-capped Puffleg migrate?
The Blue-capped Puffleg is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Blue-capped Puffleg endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Blue-capped Puffleg make?
1 real field recording of the Blue-capped Puffleg can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Blue-capped Puffleg's range?
The Blue-capped Puffleg has a mapped global range of about 57,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
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Least Concern
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Near Threatened
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Near Threatened
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Vulnerable
Guides for this bird
Best Hummingbird Feeders
How to choose a hummingbird feeder — the two main styles compared, the right sugar-water mix, and how to keep it clean so the birds stay safe. A decision framework with the hummingbird species in the Birbs encyclopedia.
Meet the Trochilidae
A field guide to the Trochilidae family — 366 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.