Buff-bellied Puffbird

Overview

The buff-bellied puffbird (Notharchus swainsoni) is a species of bird in the family Bucconidae, the puffbirds, nunlets, and nunbirds. It is currently classified as a monotypic species and is considered to be of Least Concern by the IUCN.

Identification

• Length of approximately 23.5 cm with a weight between 72 and 75.6 g.
• Crown and upperparts are black with a green gloss, featuring a narrow white forehead, throat, and upper breast.
• A wide black band separates the upper breast from the buffy to pale rufous belly, with grayish-white sides of the face and flanks.
• Eye colour varies between straw, brown, or red.
• Song consists of a descending sequence of whistles, varying in rhythm, such as 'ui-ui---dibule-dibule...'.

Habitat

Found in eastern Paraguay, far northeastern Argentina's Misiones Province, and southeastern Brazil from southern Bahia and Espírito Santo south to Santa Catarina. It inhabits lowland humid primary and secondary forest. The bird is resident in Argentina but may move from other parts of its range into São Paulo state during the austral summer.

Diet

The bird hunts by making sallies from a high bare perch to capture insects and sometimes small vertebrates, and it also consumes some fruits. It is known to investigate army ant swarms for food.

Did you know?

This species excavates its nest cavity within an arboreal termitarium.