PROJECT SUMMARY
The Black-breasted Puffleg is one of the world's rarest and least known birds. It is found on only a few sites of the north slopes of Volcán Pichincha and Volcán Atacazo within an hour of Quito, the Ecuadorian capitol.

This endemic species depends on a specialized habitat found on a narrow elevational zone in the temperate forest and Andean scrub of Volcan Pichincha. The Puffleg was never widespread, but now appears to have been extirpated along with the destruction of similar habitats in adjacent volcanoes. The decrease in population, likely due to the extensive destruction of its habitat, has put the Black-breasted Puffleg on the critically endangered species list.

Other threatened species in the area include mountain lion, Imperial Snipe and Giant Conebill.

With funding from World Parks and the Simpson Foundation, Fundación Jocotoco has purchased nearly 1,000 hectares of elfin polylepis forest, which represents a major portion of the Puffleg’s remaining habitat. Conservation groups such as CECIA are working with the local indigenous communities to educate them about the hummingbird and to find an alternative to cutting its limited habitat for charcoal production.
 
Jocotoco is now working to protect the remaining forest through small land purchases, conservation easements, and land-use agreements that will protect the habitat from being cleared for charcoal production.