White-whiskered Puffbird

The White-whiskered Puffbird, known scientifically as Malacoptila panamensis, is a charming bird that belongs to the family Bucconidae, which includes puffbirds, nunlets, and nunbirds. This species is also referred to as the White-whiskered Soft-wing or Brown Puffbird. It is a small bird, measuring approximately 18 cm in length and weighing around 43 grams. The puffbird is notable for its distinctive white "whiskers," which are actually tufts of feathers, and the bristles that surround the base of its large bill.

Identification Tips

The male White-whiskered Puffbird exhibits a brown to chestnut brown upper body with buff or tawny streaks on the forecrown and spots on the upperparts. The tail is a rich chestnut brown. Its face is adorned with tawny lores, supercilium, cheeks, and sides of the neck. The throat and upper breast range from tawny to tawny buff, while the rest of the underparts are buffy white with darker streaks on the breast and flanks. The female, however, has a grayer crown and olive to brown upperparts, with most of the underparts being buff to cinnamon-buff with darker streaks and a white abdomen. Juveniles resemble the female but have more pronounced streaking on the underparts.

Habitat

The White-whiskered Puffbird is primarily found in dense primary evergreen forests, though it can also inhabit secondary forests and areas with shorter vegetation around field edges. It tends to stay within 6 meters of the ground.

Distribution

This species is distributed from southeastern Mexico through Central America, excluding El Salvador, and extends into Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The four subspecies have distinct ranges within this area.

Behaviour

The White-whiskered Puffbird employs a watch-and-wait hunting strategy, remaining motionless before swiftly darting to catch large invertebrates and small vertebrates such as frogs and lizards. It is also known to follow army ant swarms and participate in mixed-species foraging flocks.

Song & Calls

The song of the White-whiskered Puffbird is a high-pitched descending trill with an emphasized note at the end. It is less vocal than many other puffbirds. A common call is a high, thin, slightly reedy, drawn-out sound that fades away.

Breeding

Breeding data is primarily from Costa Rica, where the season spans from mid-March to July. Nests are burrows in gently sloping ground, lined with dried leaves. The female lays two to three glossy white eggs, and both sexes share incubation duties.

Similar Species

The White-whiskered Puffbird may be confused with other puffbird species, but its distinctive "whiskers" and the differences in plumage between males and females can aid in identification.

Diet and Feeding

The diet consists of large invertebrates and small vertebrates, which are beaten against the perch before consumption. The bird is also known to forage in the company of army ant swarms and mixed-species flocks.

Conservation Status

The IUCN has classified the White-whiskered Puffbird as Least Concern due to its large range and estimated population of at least 50,000 mature individuals. However, the population is believed to be decreasing, and the species is vulnerable to habitat loss through deforestation, although it can occupy advanced second growth.