Brown Jacamar

Overview

The brown jacamar (Brachygalba lugubris) is a species of bird in the family Galbulidae, found in northern South America east of the Andes. It is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, though one subspecies requires further study due to its restricted range.

Identification

• Length 14 to 18 cm and weight 16 to 23 g, with brown upper parts and a dark brown lower back that has a greenish black gloss.
• Wings are blackish with a blue sheen, while the chin and throat are off-white, contrasting with reddish brown breasts and flanks.
• Song is described as a descending sequence of 'tick tick tick ti ti ti ti tit t t t' or 'plee, plee, plee-plee-plee', often ending in a stutter.
• Calls include a sharp 'hilew' or a lower 'chewee'.

Habitat

Inhabits terra firme, várzea, and gallery forests, both primary and secondary, as well as savannas along watercourses and some white sand soils. Typically found in the canopy, forest edges, and shrubby clearings from lowlands up to 900 m, though occasionally reaching 1,500 m in Venezuela. Its range spans three unconnected areas in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela, the Guianas, Brazil, and Bolivia.

Diet

Feeds on insects of many kinds, foraging by perching on exposed branches in pairs or small groups. It sallies out from these perches to catch flying prey.

Did you know?

Although its nest has not been directly documented, it is assumed to be a burrow in a soil bank or an arboreal termite nest.