Lafresnaya lafresnayi
Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~50%
The mountain velvetbreast (Lafresnaya lafresnayi) is a species of hummingbird in the "brilliants", tribe Heliantheini in subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. The mountain velvetbreast is the only member of its genus. Seven subspecies are recognized:
The mountain velvetbreast is 11.5 to 12 cm (4.5 to 4.7 in) long including its 2.7 to 3.2 cm (1.1 to 1.3 in) bill. It weighs 4.5 to 6.3 g (0.16 to 0.22 oz). Males have a thin decurved black bill whose length and curvature vary among the subspecies. The female's bill is less curved than the male's and also varies geographically. All subspecies have a white spot behind the eye.
Adult males of the nominate subspecies L. l. lafresnayi have grass green upperparts. Their throat... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Nevados National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 2 | Chingaza National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 3 | Podocarpus National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 4 | Farallones de Cali National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia |
| # | City | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quito | 🇪🇨 Ecuador |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Mountain Velvetbreast sighting in Los Nevados National Natural Park on a given day, based on 557 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 92nd most-seen of the 424 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 50%, if each day is a fresh chance.
November
In that month about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Mountain Velvetbreast in Los Nevados National Natural Park on a given day, against under 5% in August, the lowest month.
Between 8 and 11 am
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Mountain Velvetbreast sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Yes
Of the 4 parks where we can rate Mountain Velvetbreast sightings, Los Nevados National Natural Park has the highest daily chance: about 10%. Next come Chingaza National Natural Park (Colombia, under 5%) and Podocarpus National Park (Ecuador, under 5%).
Same family: Trochilidae
The closest relatives of the Mountain Velvetbreast that you can see in Los Nevados National Natural Park (family Trochilidae, Hummingbirds) are Shining Sunbeam (about 40%), Great Sapphirewing (about 40%) and Golden-breasted Puffleg (about 40%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Mountain Velvetbreast is recorded against all the birds logged in Los Nevados National Natural Park (557 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
