White-necked Puffbird
Notharchus hyperrhynchus
Uncommon but striking; a rather chunky bird of humid forests in tropical lowlands. Usually seen as singles or pairs, perched quietly in forest canopy, often on a snag in the open. Note the heavy black bill, used to dispatch large insects such as cicadas, and bold black-and-white plumage with a broad, black breast band.
Identification
The white-necked puffbird is about 25 cm (9.8 in) long and weighs 81 to 106 g (2.9 to 3.7 oz).It is mostly glossy black. It has a broad white forehead, throat, upper breast, and most of the belly. A broad black band separates the last two, and a black stripe runs from the beak to the crown, passing through a dark red eye. The white of the throat extends as a fairly broad line around the nape. The lower flanks are barred black and white and the tail is black with narrow white tips to the feathers. The very large bill and the feet are black. The two subspecies differ only in the length of the bill, with that of N. h. paraensis being exceptionally long.
Taxonomy
During the second half of the 20th century, the white-necked puffbird and what are now the buff-bellied puffbird (N. swainsoni) and Guianan puffbird (N. macrorhynchus) were treated as conspecific. As of 2021, the white-necked puffbird has two recognized subspecies, the nominate N. h. hyperrhynchus and N. h. paraensis. Those in El Salvador and northwestern Nicaragua have been proposed as a third subspecies, N. h. cryptoleucus, and those in northeastern Colombia's Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta might be, too.
- Scientific name
- Notharchus hyperrhynchus
- Authority
- (Sclater, PL, 1856)
- Order
- Piciformes
- Family
- Bucconidae
- Genus
- Notharchus
Range and habitat
The nominate subspecies of the white-necked puffbird is found from southern Mexico through Central America into northern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela, and separately in southwestern Colombia and western Ecuador. Another separate population is found in central Colombia, eastern Ecuador and Peru, northern Bolivia, and eastern Venezuela south and east into much of Amazonian Brazil. N. h. paraensis is found only in the Amazon River valley of the Brazilian state of Pará east of the Tapajós River. The species inhabits a wide variety of landscapes. It mostly occurs in semi-open environments such as secondary forest, the edges of primary forest, open woodlands, savanna, and clearings. It also occurs in the interior of tropical evergreen, semi-evergreen, and terra firme forest; the landward side of mangrove forest; and plantations. It is found at all levels of the forest, from the ground to the canopy. In elevation it mostly ranges from sea level to 1,200 m (3,900 ft).
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
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Ninox randi
A medium-sized owl of lowland and foothill forest and edge. Dark brown on the upperparts and head, with white underparts thickly streaked with reddish-brown. Face grayish and eyes yellow. Occurs together with several other boobook species, but Chocolate is much larger, with plain brown wings and more demarcated streaking on the chest. Voice is also different: a series of identical, medium-pitched “boop!” notes.
Northern Carmine Bee-eater
Merops nubicus
Large and gorgeous bee-eater with a mostly carmine body, and blue-green head and belly. The central tail feathers are elongated. In flight, reveals a blue-green rump, and rosy underwings with black trailing edge. Found in a variety of savanna habitats. Usually in flocks, and breeds colonially in riverbanks. Often perches on the backs of mammals and large birds, catching the insects that they disturb. The call is low-pitched and raspy, less musical than most bee-eaters. Similar to Southern Carmine Bee-eater, but there is virtually no overlap in range, and easily separated by the blue-green rather than carmine throat.
Black-backed Fruit-Dove
Ptilinopus cinctus
A large, striking fruit-dove with blackish upperparts and pale underparts crossed by a diagnostic black breast band. Pale coloration of underparts varies through range, but breast band is always distinct. Juveniles have a speckled head and yellow fringes to upperparts feathers. Found in forests and wooded areas from lowlands to mountains; generally more abundant in the hills. Usually found singly or in pairs within the upper levels of the trees. Song is a short, deep “woo-oo,” rising at the start, falling at the end.
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