The pied puffbird is a species of bird in the family Bucconidae, the puffbirds, nunlets, and nunbirds. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela.
Region
Central America and northern South America
Typical Environment
Occurs from southern Nicaragua and Costa Rica through Panama into northern South America, including Colombia, Venezuela, the Guianas, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, and much of Amazonian Brazil. It inhabits lowland tropical forests, forest edges, second-growth, riverine gallery forests, and semi-open woodlands. The species favors edges, treefall gaps, and tall secondary growth where it can hunt from exposed perches. It is also found in mosaic landscapes with scattered trees, plantations, and along rivers and clearings near forest.
Altitude Range
0–1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The pied puffbird is a sit-and-wait aerial insect hunter that sallies from exposed perches in forest edges and clearings. Its name comes from the fluffy, ‘puffed’ look of its plumage when at rest. It commonly nests by excavating chambers in arboreal termite nests, with both members of a pair participating. Despite its bold black-and-white pattern, it can be surprisingly inconspicuous when perched motionless.
Temperament
quiet, cryptic, and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with brief direct flights between perches
Social Behavior
Usually seen singly or in pairs, sometimes with a dependent juvenile. Pairs maintain territories and communicate with soft whistles. Nesting typically occurs in chambers excavated in arboreal termite nests; both sexes excavate and incubate.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of clear, thin whistles, often descending or evenly pitched, given from a high perch. Calls include sharp peeps and soft piping notes, most frequent at dawn and dusk.
Plumage
Crisp black-and-white pattern with smooth, loose-textured plumage. Upperparts largely black with contrasting white collar and underparts. A bold, broad black breast band separates white throat and belly; wings often show small white spotting.
Diet
Primarily hunts flying and crawling insects such as beetles, orthopterans, wasps, and ants, which it captures in short sallies from exposed perches. It occasionally takes small vertebrates like tiny lizards and will sometimes consume small fruits. Prey is typically subdued by a few pecks or by bashing against the perch.
Preferred Environment
Forages along forest edges, treefall gaps, river margins, and in tall secondary growth where perches provide clear sightlines. Often uses midstory to subcanopy perches 5–20 m above ground and may hunt along shaded forest roads or trails.
