The rufous-necked puffbird is a species of near-passerine bird in the family Bucconidae, the puffbirds, nunlets, and nunbirds. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru.
Region
Southwestern Amazonia
Typical Environment
Occurs in lowland tropical forests of Bolivia, western Brazil, and Peru. Prefers the shaded understory and edges of terra firme and seasonally flooded (várzea) forest, as well as secondary growth and riverine thickets. Often uses semi-open forest with dense vine tangles and can be locally associated with bamboo stands. Typically found singly or in pairs within well-wooded habitats.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1000 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Rufous-necked puffbirds are sit-and-wait predators that perch quietly in the shaded understory before sallying to snatch prey. They typically nest in burrows excavated in earthen banks or occasionally in termitaries. Their mellow, whistled calls carry through lowland rainforest at dawn and dusk.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats between perches
Social Behavior
Usually encountered alone or in pairs, maintaining territories within dense understory. Pairs communicate with soft whistles and may duet. Nests are typically burrows dug into earthen banks, where both sexes participate in excavation and care.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A mellow series of clear, whistled notes, often descending and repeated at intervals. Calls are most frequent at dawn and dusk and carry well through dense foliage.
Plumage
Dusky brown upperparts with a warm rufous collar on the neck and buffy underparts that may show fine streaking. The throat is paler, contrasting with the darker head and back. Feathers appear soft and slightly fluffy, typical of puffbirds.
Diet
Feeds mainly on large insects such as beetles, grasshoppers, katydids, mantises, and spiders; will occasionally take small lizards. Captures prey by sallying from a low perch to the ground or nearby foliage. Often manipulates prey at the perch before swallowing.
Preferred Environment
Forages from low to mid-level perches in shaded understory, along forest edges, and in semi-open secondary woodland. Frequently hunts near clearings, river margins, and vine or bamboo tangles where insect activity is high.
