Brown-banded Puffbird

Overview

The brown-banded puffbird (Notharchus ordii) is a species of bird in the family Bucconidae. It is monotypic and closely related to the black-breasted puffbird, with some authors proposing they form a superspecies. The species is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

Identification

• Approximately 20 cm long with a slightly glossy black crown, nape, and upperparts.
• A distinctive black band separates the white upper breast from the olive-brown lower breast.
• Features a large black bill and dark brown eyes, with a white band visible on the underwing in flight.
• The song is lengthy, consisting of several clear, loud introductory whistles followed by cadenced couplets and triplets.

Habitat

This bird inhabits the interior and edges of rainforest, transitional forest, and stunted forest on nutrient-poor soils. Its distribution is highly disjunct, spanning parts of Venezuela, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and Bolivia, where it tends to remain in the canopy.

Diet

Little is known about its feeding behaviour, but observations suggest it hunts by sallying from a perch to catch insects or plucking them from vegetation.

Did you know?

The single described nest was a cavity excavated by both sexes in an arboreal termitarium situated about 4.5 m up in a mostly bare tree.