Other Scientific Names
Eriocnemis vestitus [BirdLife International (2004)], Eriocnemis vestitus [Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)], Eriocnemis vestitus [Stotz et al. (1996)]
Glowing Puffleg (Eriocnemis vestita) [XC880939]
by Andrew Spencer from Cerro P\u00e1ramo de Miraflores, Colombia (song)
Glowing Puffleg (Eriocnemis vestita) [XC83045]
by Andrew Spencer from Cerro Chinguela, Piura-Cajamarca border, Peru (call)
Subspecies
Closely related to Black-breasted Puffleg (Eriocnemis nigrivestis) and Black-thighed Puffleg (Eriocnemis derbyi). Subspecies paramillo isolated in range from the other populations and morphologically fairly distinct. Differences slighter between nominate and subspecies smaragdinipectus.
The following 4 subspecies are recognised:
paramillo (Chapman, 1917) - Northern parts of western and central Andes of Colombia.
vestita (Lesson, 1838) - North-western Venezuela and eastern Andes of Colombia.
smaragdinipectus Gould, 1868 - South-western Colombia and Andes of Ecuador and extreme northern Peru.
arcosae Schuchmann, Weller & Heynen, 2001 - Andes of southern Ecuador and extreme northern Peru.