In the Yanacocha Reserve, in the heart of the Andean Chocó, Jocotoco protects the Black-breasted Puffleg (Eriocnemis nigrivestis), a hummingbird endemic to Ecuador and a symbol of Quito, threatened by habitat loss due to fires and deforestation.

With its distinctive plumage—blackish in males and green-bronze in females—this hummingbird blends into high-Andean forests and páramo patches. It inhabits remote corners of Pichincha and Imbabura between 1,700 and 3,500 meters above sea level. With a population of only about 150 individuals and a habitat of just 100 km², it is listed as Critically Endangered (CR) nationally and Endangered (EN) by the IUCN.

Our Yanacocha Reserve, on the slopes of the Pichincha volcano, is a key refuge for the Black-breasted Puffleg, with more than one thousand hectares under protection. For several years we have carried out habitat restoration with native plants such as Salvia quitensis, Macleania rupestris, and Fuchsia ayavacensis, which are essential to its diet.

In 2019, we planted around 10,000 Polylepis pauta trees, whose flowers and branches provide food and shelter for hummingbirds. And during 2024, within the project “Improving Management in the Yanacocha Biological Reserve of Volcán Pichincha, Ecuador,” we carried out restoration using native plant species grown both in our nursery and in that of the Alambí women’s community, located near the reserve. This effort not only promotes ecosystem restoration but also supports the sustainable enterprise of this group of women.

Ongoing monitoring is another crucial action we carry out to protect the Black-breasted Puffleg in Yanacocha, to learn about its habits and the status of its population. Our park rangers walk transects—pre-established routes to systematically observe and record species and their habitats. They cover the Inca Trail, which comprises three sections, and the Polylepis and Andean Snipe trails, and record their observations in JocoApp, our custom monitoring application. Between 2023 and 2024 we identified 11 Black-breasted Pufflegs—7 males and 4 females—in different ecosystems: 7 in montane forest, 2 in Polylepis forest, and 2 in shrub páramo. Analyzing these data helps us make our conservation actions more effective.

Environmental education plays a fundamental role in the project “Improving Management in the Yanacocha Biological Reserve of Volcán Pichincha, Ecuador.” Through Jocotours, our ecotourism operator, every visitor to Yanacocha has the chance to discover the magic of the Black-breasted Puffleg and understand the importance of protecting its habitat, becoming an ambassador for conservation. In 2024, Yanacocha welcomed more than 2,500 visitors (domestic and international), including school groups from Quito. For 2025, we plan to expand environmental education activities, focusing on schools in nearby communities such as La Mena del Hierro and Nono, strengthening the bond between nature and new generations.

The National Census: a joint effort

Jocotoco and Aves y Conservación led the National Census of the Black-breasted Puffleg, carried out in two rounds. The first took place in May 2024 along 11 transects located in the Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) of Mindo and the foothills of the Pichincha volcano, including our Yanacocha Reserve. As part of a team of 46 observers, we surveyed these areas between 2,800 and 3,650 meters in elevation. During this round, we recorded 17 species of hummingbirds, including two Black-breasted Pufflegs—one in Yanacocha and one in Verdecocha.

In September, the second phase of the census was conducted in Imbabura. Twenty-four participants covered eight routes in Cotacachi-Cayapas National Park and Intag-Toisán, identifying 14 individuals. The activity confirmed the importance of protected areas for the species’ survival, but also revealed the serious threats to its habitat, especially logging and burning of high-Andean forests.

The census was a demonstration of collective effort. Conservation organizations, bird experts, communities, local governments, and landowners joined forces to advance knowledge of the population of this unique hummingbird and to protect the fragile high-Andean ecosystems where it lives.

At Jocotoco, we will continue working to protect the Black-breasted Puffleg and its habitat to ensure its survival. This emblematic species reminds us that together we can secure a future for our biodiversity.

By: Jocotoco Foundation.