Coppery-chested Jacamar
Galbula pastazae
Sparkling green and rusty bird found in cloud forest along the east slope of the Andes, at higher elevations than other jacamars. Mostly restricted to Ecuador, but it also reaches southern Colombia and extreme northern Peru. Green with reddish belly and undertail, blue crown and throat, and buffy eyering. Female has reddish throat. Long, thin bill may give the impression of an enormous hummingbird. Perches at low to mid levels, looking around frantically before sallying out to snatch an insect.
Identification
The coppery-chested jacamar is 23 to 24 cm (9.1 to 9.4 in) long and weighs approximately 31 to 32 g (1.1 to 1.1 oz). The male's crown is metallic green with a blue gloss. The rest of the upper parts are metallic bronzy green. The throat and breast are shiny green and the belly and vent area are dark rufous. The female is similar except that the chin and throat are dark rufous.
Taxonomy
The coppery-chested jacamar is monotypic. It and the rufous-tailed (Galbula ruficauda), white-chinned (G. tombacea), bluish-fronted (G. cyanescens), and green-tailed jacamars (G. glabula) are considered to form a superspecies.
- Scientific name
- Galbula pastazae
- Authority
- Taczanowski & Berlepsch, 1885
- Order
- Piciformes
- Family
- Galbulidae
- Genus
- Galbula
Range and habitat
The coppery-chested jacamar is effectively endemic to Ecuador, though there are records from a single site in each of far southern Colombia and far northern Peru. It is found on the east slope of the Andes between approximately 750 to 1,500 m (2,460 to 4,920 ft) in Ecuador. The Colombia record, at El Carmen, Nariño Department, was at 1,600 m (5,200 ft) and the Peru record, on the upper Comaina River, Amazonas Department, was at 1,430 m (4,690 ft). The coppery-chested jacamar inhabits humid montane forest. It is a bird of the understory, being found along forest edges, along watercourses, and at tree falls and landslides that provide openings.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Rufous-crowned Eremomela
Eremomela badiceps
A small warbler-like bird usually seen in small groups or flocks foraging high above the ground in the forest or forest edge. Pale below with a distinct black chest band separating the white throat from the light gray belly, giving these eremomelas a distinctive “belted” appearance. Upperparts are uniformly gray except for a reddish cap and dark face. Overlaps locally with Turner’s Eremomela in the eastern part of its range, but note Rufous-crowned Eremomela’s extensive reddish cap and big, broad black chest band. Calls consist of a buzzy, sometimes multi-parted “brzrt,” as well as higher-pitched twittering calls sometimes interspersed with more whistled notes and trills.
River Warbler
Locustella fluviatilis
Large, rather nondescript warbler. Dark with a plain brown back, faintly streaked breast, and pale belly. The tail is rather long and full with a pale-tipped undertail. Usually very shy and hard to spot, other than when singing. Found in dense low bushes often near marshes. The song is a sharp, continuous, and almost machinelike "dzi-dzi-dzi-dzi-dzi-dz."
Black-throated Barbet
Tricholaema melanocephala
A medium-sized black-and-white barbet. Note the boldly striped face and the black throat patch. Found in dry savanna and thornscrub. Similar to Spot-flanked Barbet, but lacks spots on the flanks and has a dark rather than yellow eye. Also similar to Red-fronted Barbet, but lacks a red front, and has a black throat. The common call is a series of several nasal “kya” notes.
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