Black-breasted Puffbird
Notharchus pectoralis
Rather large puffbird found from central Panama to extreme northwest Ecuador. Striking black-and-white pattern; especially note broad black breast band and isolated white cheek patch. Typically found singly or in pairs; usually perched in the canopy or subcanopy of lowland forest and edge below 1,000 m. Pied Puffbird is smaller with a white eyebrow. White-necked Puffbird is larger with a white forehead and more extensive white on the neck and forehead (lacking a black mustache).
Identification
The black-breasted puffbird is 19 to 23 cm (7.5 to 9.1 in) long and weighs between 60 and 69 g (2.1 and 2.4 oz). The plumage is mostly glossy blue-black, with a white collar, cheeks, throat, and belly, a blue-black breast band, and a black tail with white tips on the feathers. The closed wing and rump show narrow white scallops. The flanks are dark gray with buffy marks. The heavy bill is black, as are the feet, and the iris of the eye is dark brown or red. The two sexes are the same, and the plumage of juvenile birds has not been described.
Taxonomy
The black-breasted puffbird is monotypic. It is closely related to the brown-banded puffbird (N. ordii) and some authors have proposed that they form a superspecies.
- Scientific name
- Notharchus pectoralis
- Authority
- (Gray, GR, 1846)
- Order
- Galbuliformes
- Family
- Bucconidae
- Genus
- Notharchus
Range and habitat
The black-breasted puffbird is found from the Canal Zone of Panama east into central Colombia and south through western Colombia into northwestern Ecuador. It inhabits humid lowland rainforest and secondary forest from sea level to 1,000 m (3,300 ft). It is seldom found near forest edges, and is more restricted to forests than its close relatives, but is often found near running water. It is usually found in the canopy, but will descend to the forest floor to pursue prey flushed by army ant swarms.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
The black-breasted puffbird hunts from a perch by diving on its prey and will also follow army ant swarms. It beats its catch on the perch before eating it. It takes a range of prey species, including centipedes and millipedes, scorpions, spiders, cockroaches, mantises, grasshoppers, beetles, and lizards.<p>The black-breasted puffbird's breeding season spans from March to May in Colombia and March to July in Panama. Both parents excavate the nesting burrow in an arboreal termitarium, typically from 2.3 to 12.5 m (7.5 to 41 ft) high. The clutch size is three eggs, but no more than two fledged young from a brood have been observed. Both parents incubate the eggs.<p>The black-breasted puffbird's song is "10–30 loud 'kwee' whistles followed by 3 or so lower, slower 'whew' whistles ending with a few fading 'wheet-whew' wolf-whistles". It also makes a "rasping 'chah-chah-chah'" call when disputing territory.
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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