The black-breasted puffleg, endemic to Ecuador and a member of the hummingbird family (Trochilidae), is approximately 3.25 inches (in) (8.5 centimeters (cm)) long (Fjelds[aring] and Krabbe 1990, p. 272; Ridgely and Greenfield 2001a, p. 373; Ridgely and Greenfield 2001b, p. 280). The species is locally known as ``Calzadito pechinegro'' or ``Zamarrito pichinegro'' (United Nations Monitoring Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) 2008b, p. 1). Black-breasted pufflegs have distinctive white leg plumage (ergo, the name ``puffleg'') and straight, black bills. Males have entirely black upperparts, mostly black underparts, and dark steel-blue forked tails. Females have shiny, bronze-green upper plumage, turning blue toward the tail, with golden-green underparts (BirdLife International (BLI) 2007, p. 1).
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