Great Jacamar
Jacamerops aureus
The largest jacamar is glistening emerald-green above and orange below with a thick black bill. Sexes generally similar; males have entirely green throat and inconspicuous white collar, females have orange throat. Size and bill shape could recall a motmot more than a jacamar, but no motmot combines green head and orange belly. Singles or pairs are typically uncommon to rare in lowland forests, up to around 600 m. They typically perch in the middle to upper levels, and can be quite vocal. Listen for the long descending whistle with a noticeable break in pitch near the beginning, as well as various strange noises that sound like a very angry cat.
Identification
It measures 25 to 30 cm (9.8 to 11.8 in) in length and weighs between 57 and 70 g (2.0 and 2.5 oz). As indicated by its name, this is the largest species of jacamar and much bulkier than any other species in the family. The adult male chin, cheeks and upper region are all bright metallic green with gold overtones, with a blueish tinge on the chin, forehead and tail and purple copper on the back. The lower part of the throat is white and the rest of the lower region is deep rufous. The primaries are black, the tail is blue-black, below the beak is black, and the legs are dark horn-colored. The female resembles the male, but has no white spot on the throat.Like all members of the order Piciformes, jacamars and their relatives have zygodactyl feet, with two toes pointing forward and two facing back. Jacamars evolved with this toe arrangement, which helps them grasp branches while hunting in trees.Because 13 of the 17 Galbulidae species belong to super-species complexes, researcher J. Haffer concludes that jacamars had a relatively recent Pleistocene radiation of the family. Jacamars are believed to have originated in the Amazon region where they are most common, and spread to other parts of Central and South America. Unique anatomical features of this family include a long appendix, no gall bladder, a bare preen gland, and a long, thin tongue.
Taxonomy
German zoologist Philipp Ludwig Statius Müller described the species in 1776. The species name is the Latin adjective aureus "golden". In 2000, the binomial name was changed from J. aurea to J. aureus so the species name agreed in gender with the genus name.
- Scientific name
- Jacamerops aureus
- Authority
- (Müller, PLS, 1776)
- Order
- Galbuliformes
- Family
- Galbulidae
- Genus
- Jacamerops
Range and habitat
Its natural habitat is the natural tropical forest to 500 m (1,640 ft) altitude. It lives in the middle levels of the canopy and inside the shaded edges of the rainforest, usually on the banks of streams.It can be difficult to spot because it is noted for sitting in one spot for a long period of time.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
This species has an extremely large range, and does not approach the requirements for classification as a Vulnerable species under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence <20,000 km2 combined with a declining or fluctuating range size, habitat extent/quality, or population size and a small number of locations or severe fragmentation). Even though the population appears to be decreasing, the decline is not presumed to approach Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (>30% decline over ten years or three generations). The population size has not been calculated, but it is not believed to reach the definition of Vulnerable under the population size criterion (<10,000 mature individuals with a continuing decline estimated to be >10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). For the reasons listed above the species is labeled as Least Concern.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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