Sapphire-vented Puffleg
Yanacocha Reserve, Ecuador – September 21, 2014
— Ralph Paonessa
Canon EOS 7D * EF500mm f/4L IS USM * ISO 1250 * 1/200 sec @ f/5.6
A speedy Sapphire-vented Puffleg poses briefly for this portrait. A resident of the higher elevations, this handscome male was energetically defending his territory at 11,000 feet on the side of dormant Pichincha Volcano in the Andes. Finally, he stayed still a moment for this shot, capping hours of photographer frustration.
Photo ID: 20140921-81