White-eared Puffbird
Encyclopedia
The White-eared Puffbird (Nystalus chacuru) is a species of bird
in the Bucconidae family, the puffbird
s.
It is found in Brazil
, Bolivia
, Paraguay
, and Argentina
; also Peru
.
Its natural habitat
s are subtropical or tropical dry forest
s, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, dry savanna
, and heavily degraded former forest.
s, or opportunistic prey may explain this body shape.
The bird is medium brown-backed, same with wings, white and black flecked on the breast. The upper breast is white extending to a narrow-to medium width white collar surrounding the neck. The species is named for its distinctive, medium-sized bright white ear patch. It has blackish eyes, black surrounding the white ear patch, and the same brown, for its crown
as the wings/back. Overall, a distinctive, multi-colored bird.
region; the range is also on the southeast Atlantic
coast from northern Bahia
state south to the Paraná
–Santa Catarina
state borders. The bird's range covers much of the eastern and northern Pantanal
; also southern areas of the Caatinga
.
In the north and west parts of its range, the range covers the upstream headwaters of some Amazon Basin
river systems. The White-eared Puffbird's range encompasses nearly all of northern Bolivia, the Madeira River
's many headwater tributary rivers; also the extreme headwaters of the Tapajós River
. East of the Tapajós, the range expands into the Cerrado, the upper half of the Xingu River
drainage, and the entire drainage system of the Araguaia-Tocantins River
, (the eastward system, typically considered part of the 'Amazon Basin').
Peru is part of the range on the very western border region of Bolivia; also some locale regions of north-central Peru. A second locale is mid-river on the downstream Madeira River in southern Amazon Basin Amazonas state.
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
in the Bucconidae family, the puffbird
Puffbird
The puffbirds and their relatives in the near passerine family Bucconidae are tropical birds breeding from South America up to Mexico.They are related to the jacamars, but lack the iridescent colours of that family. They are mainly brown, rufous or grey, with large heads and flattened bills with a...
s.
It is found in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Bolivia
Bolivia
Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...
, Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
, and Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
; also Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
.
Its natural habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
s are subtropical or tropical dry forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
s, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, dry savanna
Savanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
, and heavily degraded former forest.
Synoptic description
As with some puffbirds, the White-eared Puffbird is a round, plump bird with a short, very narrow tail. It has a large head and orange, black-tipped bill, the head appearing almost oversized for its body. The 'sit-and-wait' feeding strategy, for insectInsect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s, or opportunistic prey may explain this body shape.
The bird is medium brown-backed, same with wings, white and black flecked on the breast. The upper breast is white extending to a narrow-to medium width white collar surrounding the neck. The species is named for its distinctive, medium-sized bright white ear patch. It has blackish eyes, black surrounding the white ear patch, and the same brown, for its crown
Crown (anatomy)
A crown is the top of the head.The following birds and other animals are said to have a crown on their head:* Cranes** Grey-crowned Crane** Red-crowned Crane** Black-crowned Crane* Crowned eagle* Gray-crowned Rosy Finch* Yellow-crowned Gonolek...
as the wings/back. Overall, a distinctive, multi-colored bird.
Range: SE Cerradan Brazil
The White-eared Puffbird's range is in SE Brazil, and is centered on the CerradoCerrado
The Cerrado, is a vast tropical savanna ecoregion of Brazil, particularly in the states of Gioas and Minas Gerais...
region; the range is also on the southeast Atlantic
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
coast from northern Bahia
Bahia
Bahia is one of the 26 states of Brazil, and is located in the northeastern part of the country on the Atlantic coast. It is the fourth most populous Brazilian state after São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro, and the fifth-largest in size...
state south to the Paraná
Paraná (state)
Paraná is one of the states of Brazil, located in the South of the country, bordered on the north by São Paulo state, on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, on the south by Santa Catarina state and the Misiones Province of Argentina, and on the west by Mato Grosso do Sul and the republic of Paraguay,...
–Santa Catarina
Santa Catarina (state)
Santa Catarina is a state in southern Brazil with one of the highest standards of living in Latin America. Its capital is Florianópolis, which mostly lies on the Santa Catarina Island. Neighbouring states are Rio Grande do Sul to the south and Paraná to the north. It is bounded on the east by...
state borders. The bird's range covers much of the eastern and northern Pantanal
Pantanal
The Pantanal is a tropical wetland and one of the world's largest wetland of any kind. Most of it lies within the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso do Sul, but it extends into Mato Grosso and portions of Bolivia and Paraguay, sprawling over an area estimated at between and...
; also southern areas of the Caatinga
Caatinga
Caatinga is a type of vegetation, and an ecoregion characterized by this vegetation in the northeastern part of Brazil. The name "Caatinga" is a Tupi word meaning "white forest" or "white vegetation"...
.
In the north and west parts of its range, the range covers the upstream headwaters of some Amazon Basin
Amazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
river systems. The White-eared Puffbird's range encompasses nearly all of northern Bolivia, the Madeira River
Madeira River
The Madeira River is a major waterway in South America, approximately 3,250 km miles long The Madeira is the biggest tributary of the Amazon...
's many headwater tributary rivers; also the extreme headwaters of the Tapajós River
Tapajós
The Tapajós, a Brazilian river running through a humid and hot valley, pours into the Amazon River 500 miles above Pará and is about 1200 miles long.It rises on the lofty Brazilian plateau near Diamantino in 14 degrees 25' south latitude...
. East of the Tapajós, the range expands into the Cerrado, the upper half of the Xingu River
Xingu River
The Xingu River , also called Rio Xingu, is a 1,230-mile long, river in north Brazil; it is a southeast tributary of the Amazon River.-Description and history:...
drainage, and the entire drainage system of the Araguaia-Tocantins River
Tocantins River
The Tocantins is a river in Brazil, the central fluvial artery of the country. In the Tupi language, its name means "toucan's beak" . It runs from south to north for about 2,640 km. It is not really a branch of the Amazon River, although usually so considered, since its waters flow into the...
, (the eastward system, typically considered part of the 'Amazon Basin').
Peru is part of the range on the very western border region of Bolivia; also some locale regions of north-central Peru. A second locale is mid-river on the downstream Madeira River in southern Amazon Basin Amazonas state.
External links
- White-eared Puffbird videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- White-eared Puffbird photo gallery VIREO Photo-High Res--(Close-up)
- Photo-High Res; Article chandra.as.utexas.edu–"Birds of Brazil"
