Rufous-tailed Jacamar

This is a slender, highly elegant bird measuring between 8.6 and 10.2 inches (22 to 26 centimeters) in length, including its prominent, needle-like black bill which can reach up to 2 inches (5 centimeters) long. Its plumage exhibits a dazzling metallic iridescence, characterized by shiny golden-green or bronze-green upperparts and a distinct breast band. The abdomen, flanks, and undertail are a rich, contrasting rufous-cinnamon. Marked sexual dimorphism is present on the throat: the male displays a brilliant white throat patch, whereas the female shows a softer buffy or pale rufous throat. Its feet are small and weak, adapted for perching, with a zygodactyl arrangement where two toes point forward and two backward.

Geographical distribution: This species is widely distributed across the Neotropical region, ranging from southern Mexico (mainly Veracruz and Chiapas) down through Central America (including countries such as Honduras, Costa Rica, and Panama). In South America, its range extends across Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, large areas of Brazil (reaching southward to Paraná), eastern Bolivia, Paraguay, and the northeastern border of Argentina (in the provinces of Misiones and Formosa).

Habitat: It primarily inhabits a diverse array of lowland wooded environments, generally from sea level up to 3,900 feet (1,200 meters) of elevation. It is frequently observed along the edges of humid and deciduous forests, gallery forests, second-growth woodlands, semi-open shrublands, cacao and coffee plantations, and the transitional zones of the Brazilian Cerrado and Caatinga. It exhibits a strong affinity for riparian corridors and riverbanks, where exposed clay cliffs provide ideal nesting sites.

Feeding: Highly specialized in its dietary habits, it feeds almost exclusively on flying insects captured mid-air using a sallying technique. Its preferred prey includes butterflies, dragonflies, wasps, bees, beetles, and flies. Perched motionless on exposed twigs in the mid-to-lower understory, it scans the air for movement, launches into a rapid, agile aerial chase to snap up the insect with its long bill, and returns to the same perch. Before swallowing its prey, the bird repeatedly beats the insect against the branch to dislodge wings, stings, or hard exoskeletons.

Behavior: This solitary or paired bird is territorial and relatively quiet, though highly alert. It spends long periods sitting completely still on horizontal branches, turning its head in jerky movements to locate prey or potential competitors. Its vocalization consists of an ascending series of high-pitched, clear whistles that accelerate into a rapid, musical trill, which is crucial for territory defense and pair-bond reinforcement. Its flight is fast, undulating, and generally restricted to short distances within the understory canopy.

Nesting: The breeding process involves excavating horizontal burrows in earthen banks, vertical clay cliffs, road cuts, or even within active arboreal termite mounds. These tunnels are dug by both partners, measuring between 12 and 20 inches (30 to 50 centimeters) in depth and ending in an unlined nesting chamber. The clutch usually consists of 2 to 4 glossy white eggs. Both the male and female share incubation duties, which last about 19 to 23 days, as well as the feeding of the altricial chicks, which hatch with white down and remain in the burrow until they are fully fledged.

Conservation status: It is currently classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This classification is supported by its extensive geographical range and relatively stable population trend. Nevertheless, localized populations face threats from habitat degradation, deforestation, loss of riverine forest strips, and the heavy use of agricultural insecticides, which drastically reduces the abundance of its aerial prey.