Rufous-Tailed Jacamar
Galbula ruficauda
About This Species
Watch for this iridescent, needle-billed bird perched on low, exposed branches at forest edges and along streams in Central and South America, where it sallies out to snatch flying insects and butterflies in mid-air before returning to the same perch. Its metallic green back and long, straight bill give it an almost jewel-like appearance in dappled light. Forest edges and clearings near water in the early morning, when insect activity peaks, are the most reliable places to find one.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- A patient wait 10 to 15 metres from a favoured perch usually produces good views without disturbing the bird's hunting routine.
- Wildlife protection laws differ considerably across its range of many countries, so check local regulations rather than assuming a single standard applies.
- Avoid disturbing perches near a nest cavity, since this species excavates burrows in earthen banks or termite mounds that are vulnerable to trampling.
LCAvesPiciformesGalbulidae
Seasonal Activity
185,164 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Piciformes
- Family
- Galbulidae
Photo
(c) Richard Gibbons, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
CC-BY-NC-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.