Puffbird

Puffbirds and allies
White-whiskered Puffbird (Malacoptila panamensis)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Piciformes
Family:	Bucconidae Horsfield, 1821
Genera
Notharchus Bucco Nystalus Hypnelus Micromonacha Nonnula Hapaloptila Chelidoptera Malacoptila Monasa

The puffbirds and their relatives in the near passerine family Bucconidae are tropical birds breeding from South America up to Mexico.

They are related to the jacamars, but lack the iridescent colours of that family. They are mainly brown, rufous or grey, with large heads and flattened bills with a hooked tip. The loose abundant plumage and short tails makes them look stout and puffy, giving rise to the English name of the family. They feed on insects and small vertebrates caught by a watch and wait technique. The species range in size from the Rufous-capped Nunlet, at 13 cm (5.1 in) and 14 grams (0.5 oz), to the White-necked Puffbird, at up to 29 cm (11.5 in) and 106 grams (3.7 oz).

Like most of their relatives, this group are hole nesters, laying 2–3 glossy white eggs in a hole in the ground or a termite mound.

Species

FAMILY: BUCCONIDAE

• Genus: Notharchus
  • Guianan Puffbird, Notharchus macrorhynchos
  • White-necked Puffbird, Notharchus hyperrynchus
  • Black-breasted Puffbird, Notharchus pectoralis
  • Brown-banded Puffbird, Notharchus ordii
  • Pied Puffbird, Notharchus tectus
  • Buff-bellied Puffbird, Notharchus swainsoni
• Genus: Bucco
  • Chestnut-capped Puffbird, Bucco macrodactylus
  • Spotted Puffbird, Bucco tamatia
  • Sooty-capped Puffbird, Bucco noanamae
  • Collared Puffbird, Bucco capensis
• Genus: Nystalus
  • Barred Puffbird, Nystalus radiatus
  • White-eared Puffbird, Nystalus chacuru
  • Striolated Puffbird, Nystalus striolatus
  • Spot-backed Puffbird, Nystalus maculatus
• Genus: Hypnelus
  • Russet-throated Puffbird, Hypnelus ruficollis
• Genus: Malacoptila
  • White-chested Puffbird, Malacoptila fusca
  • Semicollared Puffbird, Malacoptila semicincta
  • Crescent-chested Puffbird, Malacoptila striata
  • Black-streaked Puffbird, Malacoptila fulvogularis
  • Rufous-necked Puffbird, Malacoptila rufa
  • White-whiskered Puffbird, Malacoptila panamensis
  • Moustached Puffbird, Malacoptila mystacalis
• Genus: Micromonacha
  • Lanceolated Monklet, Micromonacha lanceolata
• Genus: Nonnula – the nunlets
  • Fulvous-chinned Nunlet, Nonnula sclateri
  • Rusty-breasted Nunlet, Nonnula rubecula
  • Brown Nunlet, Nonnula brunnea
  • Grey-cheeked Nunlet, Nonnula frontalis
  • Rufous-capped Nunlet, Nonnula ruficapilla
  • Chestnut-headed Nunlet, Nonnula amaurocephala
• Genus Hapaloptila
  • White-faced Nunbird, Hapaloptila castanea
• Genus: Monasa – the nunbirds
  • Black Nunbird, Monasa atra
  • Black-fronted Nunbird, Monasa nigrifrons
  • White-fronted Nunbird, Monasa morphoeus
  • Yellow-billed Nunbird, Monasa flavirostris
• Genus: Chelidoptera
  • Swallow-winged Puffbird, Chelidoptera tenebrosa

References

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• Hilty, Birds of Venezuela, ISBN 0-7136-6418-5
• Stiles and Skutch, A guide to the birds of Costa Rica ISBN 0-8014-9600-4

External links

• Puffbird videos on the Internet Bird Collection

This article is part of Project Bird Families, a All Birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on each bird family, including made-up families.

This article is part of Project Bird Taxonomy, a All Birds project that aims to write comprehensive articles on every order, family and other taxonomic rank related to birds.