The order Piciformes is made up of the woodpecker family Picidae plus 8 other families. Picidae make up about half of the species. In general, the Piciformes are insectivorous, but some exceptions eat mostly fruit. Nearly all Piciformes have parrot-like feet—two toes forward and two back, an arrangement that has obvious advantages for birds that spend much of their time on tree trunks. And most Piciformes do not have down feathers at any age, only true feathers. All nest in cavites.
Jacamars are found in Central and South America. There are 5 genera and 18 species
They are closely related to the puffbirds, another Neotropical family, and the two families are often separated into their own order, Galbuliformes, separate from the Piciformes. In general, the family members are faring well in their habitats. Only 2 of the 18 species are having major troubles: the tree-toed jacamar is listed as Near Threatened and the coppery-chested jacamar is listed as Vulnerable.
Jacamars are usually colorful plus have long tails and bills which produce a hummingbird type appearance, but the jacamars
live on insects, not nectar. They search for the insects from a perch in the tree and then catch them in flight. The sexes are similar in appearance, but males often have a white patch on the throat. Most jacamars are from 15 to 25 cm in length, which includes their long bill and tail. The paradise jacamar can reach 34 cm in length due to its very long tail. The great jacamar "only" gets to 30 cm long, but it is the heaviest jacamar, weighing up to 75 grams. Jacamar nests are mostly excavated in termine mounds that are located in trees or earthen bankings, especially stream or river banks.
Except for the three-toed jacamar, they have two toes forward and
two toes facing to the rear, like the rest of the piciformes. They are the only piciform family that has down feathers in the young.
Genus Brachygalba
Jacamar,_Brown Brachygalba lugubris
Description: The brown jacamar has mostly dark brown upperparts, glossy purple wings, and a whitish neck. The chin and throat are off-white, the breast and flanks reddish brown, and the lower breast and belly are off-white or buff. The brown jacamar is 16 to 18 cm long.
Range: The brown jacamar is found in northern South America east of the Andes: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.
Habitat: Riverbanks with trees available. Also primary or secondary forests, treed savanna.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1) Barloventomagico - Venezuela 2) Brendan_Ryan - Venezuela 3) Nick Athanas - Venezuela Carlos_Henrique - BrazilRange: The brown jacamar is found in northern South America east of the Andes: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.
Habitat: Riverbanks with trees available. Also primary or secondary forests, treed savanna.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Jacamar, Dusky-backed Brachygalba salmoni
Description: The dusky-backed jacamar has greenish-black upperparts, a brown crown, and a white throat. Most of the breast is greenish-black while the center breast and belly are cinnamon. The dusky-backed jacamar is 16 to 18 cm long.
Range: Colombia and Panama.
Habitat: Forest edges, such as by clearings and along streams.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree or bush.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1) Slater et. al. 2) ScanbirdRange: Colombia and Panama.
Habitat: Forest edges, such as by clearings and along streams.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree or bush.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Jacamar,_Pale-headed Brachygalba goeringi
Description: The pale-headed jacamar has a pale head and white throat. The crown, nape, and shoulders are ashy brown. The rest of the upperparts are dark brown with a greenish gloss. It has a chestnut band on the upper belly, white lower-belly, and dark brown flanks. The pale-headed jacamar is 16 to 18 cm long.
Range: Columbia. Venezuela.
Habitat: Primarily inhabits the edges of gallery and secondary forest in grasslands.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1, 2) Barloventomagico 3) Nick Athanas - Venezuela Range: Columbia. Venezuela.
Habitat: Primarily inhabits the edges of gallery and secondary forest in grasslands.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Jacamar, White-throated Brachygalba
Description: The white-throated jacamar has has mainly dark brown to blackish plumage, a whitish face, white throat, and yellow bill. There is a chestnut patch at the center of the belly. The white-throated jacamar is 15 to 16 cm long.
Range: Eastern Peru, western Brazil, and northern Boliva.
Habitat: Edges of primary forest or young growth along whitewater rivers.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1) KeulemansRange: Eastern Peru, western Brazil, and northern Boliva.
Habitat: Edges of primary forest or young growth along whitewater rivers.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Genus Galbalcyrhynchus
Jacamar,_Purus Galbalcyrhynchus purusianus
Description: The Purus jacamar has mainly chestnut colored plumage. It has glossy black wings and tail plus a heavy pink bill. It is 20 cm long.
Range: Eastern Peru, western Brazil, and northern Bolivia.
Habitat: Forest edges, near rivers.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1) Joao Wuental 2) Vincent_Vos - Bolivia 3) Bill_Bouton - PeruRange: Eastern Peru, western Brazil, and northern Bolivia.
Habitat: Forest edges, near rivers.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
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Jacamar,_White-eared Galbalcyrhynchus leucotis
Description: The white-eared jacamar has mainly dark reddish-chestnut plumage with a bronze gloss on the crown, wings, and tail. It has white ear-coverts. The white-eared jacamar is 18 to 21 cm long. It creates a nest-cavity in a termite mound located in a tree.
Range: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru.
Habitat: Forest edges and waterways.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1) Marcel Holyoak 2) Nick Athanas - Ecuador 3) Albert Michaud - EcuadorRange: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru.
Habitat: Forest edges and waterways.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Genus Galbula
Some of these species excavate a nest-cavity in the ground while others in an termite mound which is located in a tree. They generally have green upperparts and black bills, except for the yellow-billed and blue-cheeked jacamars with yellow bills.
Jacamar,_Blue-cheeked Galbula cyanicollis Found: Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru.
Description: The male blue-cheeked jacamar, also known as blue-necked jacamar, has blue checks and a blue malar region. The dark green crown also has some blue in some subspecies. The upperparts including the tail are green. It has chestnut underparts. The female is duller with tawny underparts. They have a black and yellow upper-bill with a yellow lower mandible. The blue-cheeked jacamar ia 19 to 22 cm.
Range: Eastern Peru, far northern Bolivia, and Brazil.
Habitat: Lowland evergreen forests.
Diet: : Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1) Castelnau 2) Dave_Curtis 3) Nick Athanas - BrazilRange: Eastern Peru, far northern Bolivia, and Brazil.
Habitat: Lowland evergreen forests.
Diet: : Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Jacamar,_Bluish-fronted Galbula cyanescens
Description: The bluish-fronted jacamar has iridescent green upperparts, a bluish-green crown, and a bluish forehead. The chin and upper throat are blackish. It has a green lower throat and breast are green. The male has a rufous belly and the female's is ochre. The bluish-fronted jacamar is 22 to 23 cm long.
Range: Bolivia, Brazil, Peru.
Habitat: Typically found in mid-stage succession vegetation along the forest edges and especially along watercourses and lakesides.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1) Francesco Veronesi - Peru 2) Nick Athanas - Peru 3) Vil_Sandi - PeruRange: Bolivia, Brazil, Peru.
Habitat: Typically found in mid-stage succession vegetation along the forest edges and especially along watercourses and lakesides.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Jacamar,_Bronzy Galbula leucogastra
Description: The bronzy jacamar has bronze-green upperparts and breast. It has a black chin. The male has a white throat, and white belly with black speckles. The female has the throat and belly buffy. The bronzy jacamar is about 22 cm long.
Range: South America, mainly north of the Amazon.
Habitat: Forest edges, along waterways.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
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Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1) John Gerrard Keulemans 2) Nick Athanas - BrazilRange: South America, mainly north of the Amazon.
Habitat: Forest edges, along waterways.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
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Conservation status: Least Concern.
Jacamar,_Coppery-chested Galbula pastazae
Description: The coppery-chested jacamar has green upperparts, head, and breast. It has a metallic green crown with a blue gloss. 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. The coppery-chested jacamar is 23 to 24 cm long.
Range: Colombia, Ecuador, Peru.
Habitat: Montane forest edges, openings, waterways.
Diet: Probably insects.
Conservation status: It is listed as Vulnerable because it is not common and the population seems to be deceasing because of deforestation.
Image by: 1) Aves_y_Conservacion 2) Francesco Veronesi - Ecuador 3) Nick Athanas - EcuadorRange: Colombia, Ecuador, Peru.
Habitat: Montane forest edges, openings, waterways.
Diet: Probably insects.
Conservation status: It is listed as Vulnerable because it is not common and the population seems to be deceasing because of deforestation.
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1) Female
Jacamar,_Green-tailed Galbula galbula
Description: The male green-tailed jacamar has has metallic green upperparts and a a white or buff throat. It has rufous underparts with a metalic green breast band. The female has a buff throat and duller underparts. The green-tailed jacamar is 18 to 22 cm long. The similar rufous-tailed jacamar has a rufous under-tail while this species has a green under-tail.
Range: Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela.
Habitat: Open woodland, savanna, and shrublands, especially along watercourses.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1) Sergey Pisarevskiy - Columbia 2) Dave Curtis - Guyana 3) Allan Hopkins 4) Nick Athanas - VenezuelaRange: Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela.
Habitat: Open woodland, savanna, and shrublands, especially along watercourses.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Jacamar,_Paradise Galbula dea
Description: The paradise jacamar has mainly iridescent black plumage, a brown crown, plus a white throat and upper-breast. Its length of 25 to 34 cm varies greatly because of its impressive tail. It creates a nest-cavity in an arboreal termite mound.
Range: Central and northern South America.
Habitat: The edges of primary and secondary forests, forest clearings. Unlike most jacamars, it is found high in the canopy instead of mid level.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1) Hector Bottai - Brazil 2) Nick Athanas - Brazil 3) Amy_McAndrews - BrazilRange: Central and northern South America.
Habitat: The edges of primary and secondary forests, forest clearings. Unlike most jacamars, it is found high in the canopy instead of mid level.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Jacamar,_Purplish Galbula chalcothorax
Description: The purplish jacamar has reddish-purple to coppery-red upperparts. It has a blackish-green with a bluish sheen crown and face. The male has a white throat and a belly that appears speckled black and white. The female differs by having yellow-brown or buff throat and belly. The purplish jacamar is 20 to 23 cm long.
Range: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru.
Habitat: Forests and their edges, along waterways.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1) John Gerrard Keulemans 2) Nick Athanas - Ecuador 3) Kelley_SampeckRange: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru.
Habitat: Forests and their edges, along waterways.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
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Jacamar,_Rufous-tailed Galbula ruficauda
Description: The rufous-tailed jacamar has metallic green upperparts, a white or buff throat, rufous / orange underparts with metalic green breast band. It is about 25 cm long. The similar green-tailed jacamar has a green under-tail while the rufous-tailed jacamar has a rufous under-tail.
Range: Central and South America.
Habitat: Forest edges, waterways, plantations.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1 New Jersy Birds 2) Jerry Oldenettel - Costa Rica 3) Dario
Sanches - Brazil 4) Nick Athanas - VenezuelaRange: Central and South America.
Habitat: Forest edges, waterways, plantations.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Jacamar,_White-chinned Galbula tombacea
Description: The white-chinned jacamar has iridescent green upperparts, a greyish-brown crown, an often hard to see white-chin, green throat plus breast, and a chestnut (male) or ochre (female) belly. It is 19 to 23 cm long and 21 to 25 grams. The similar bluish-fronted jacamar has a bluish-green crown while the white-chinned jacamar has greyish-brown crown.
Range: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru.
Habitat: Shrubby borders and openings in forests, also along watercourses.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1) Cláudio Timm - the Amazon, Brazil 2) Marcel Holyoak - Peru 3) Nick Athanas - Ecuador 4) Hector_Bottai - BrazilRange: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru.
Habitat: Shrubby borders and openings in forests, also along watercourses.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Jacamar,_Yellow-billed Galbula albirostris
Description: The yellow-billed jacamar has iridescent emerald green upperparts, chestnut underparts, a white throat (male), yellow lower mandible, and reddish-cinnamon underparts. It is 18 to 21 cm long. The similar blue-cheeked jacamar's range is south of the yellow-billed jacamar.
Range: Northern Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, , Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela.
Habitat: Forest interiors and edges.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1) Sean_McCann John Gerrard Keulemans 2) Stephan Horvath 3) Nick Athanas - VenezuelaRange: Northern Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, , Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela.
Habitat: Forest interiors and edges.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Genus Jacamaralcyon - 1 species
Jacamar,_Three-toed Jacamaralcyon tridactyla
Description: The three-toed jacamar has slaty-black upperparts and paler underparts with some white. It has a brownish-grey cap and throat. The bill is black. It has three toes instead of the 4 toes that the rest of the family has. The three-toed jacamar is about 18 cm long. It excavates a nest cavity in an earth banking.
Range: Southeastern Brazil.
Habitat: Drier parts of the Atlantic forest; also degraded forests.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: It is listed as Near Threatened because of deforestation and degradation.
Image by: 1) Francesco Veronesi 2) Brendan_Ryan Nigel Voaden 3) Nick AthanasRange: Southeastern Brazil.
Habitat: Drier parts of the Atlantic forest; also degraded forests.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree.
Conservation status: It is listed as Near Threatened because of deforestation and degradation.
Genus Jacamerops - 1 species
Jacamar,_Great Jacamerops aureus
Description: The great jacamar has glossy green upperparts with blue gloss on the chin and tail. The male has a white chin. It has mainly rufous underparts and a thick, long black bill. It is the largest by far of the jacamars with a length of 26 to 30 cm and a weight of 55 to 75 grams. It creates its nest-cavity in a termite mound in a tree or a rotting tree stump.
Range: Costa Rica to Bolivia and Brazil.
Habitat: Forests and their edges, along waterways.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree; also gleans insects while one the tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
Image by: 1) Dave Curtis - Guyana 2) Dominic Sherony - Panama 3) Nick Athanas - Ecuador 4) Francesco_Veronesi - PanamaRange: Costa Rica to Bolivia and Brazil.
Habitat: Forests and their edges, along waterways.
Diet: Insects which it catches in flight from a perch in a tree; also gleans insects while one the tree.
Conservation status: Least Concern.
