Yanacocha Reserve (also called the "Inca Ditch") is a high-altitude cloud forest situated at 10,500 ft elevation on Pichincha Volcano west of Quito. The reserve protects 964 hectares of elfin Polylepsis Forest, which is home to many avian specialties but is noted primarily for its hummingbirds. Among these is the highly endangered Black-breasted Puffleg, which was driven nearly extinct by land degradation while the area was owned by the Quito Water Authority. In the early 1990's the land was purchased by Fudacion Jocotoco and established as a protected reserve. It is currently managed by CECIA, the Corporacion Ornithologica del Ecuador. As far as is known, Yanacocha Reserve is the primary breeding area of the Black-breasted Puffleg.
