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.
The puffbirds and their relatives are tropical found in South America. They have large heads and thick flattened bills with a hooked tip. The loose abundant plumage and short tails makes them look stout and puffy, giving rise to their name. They feed on insects and small vertebrates caught by a watch and wait technique. They are mainly hole nesters, laying 2-3 glossy white eggs in a hole in the ground or a termite mound.
The puffbirds are closely related to the jacamars, another Neotropical family, and the two families are sometimes separated into their own order, Galbuliformes, separate from the Piciformes.
Genus Bucco
Puffbird,_Chestnut-capped Bucco macrodactylus Found: Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela
The Chestnut-capped Puffbird has brown upperparts; chestnut cap; black breast-band; dull whitish breast; black bill, legs.
Image by: 1) jester625honor 2) Michael Andersen 3) Nick Athanas - Ecuador
Puffbird,_Collared Bucco capensis Found: Columbia, Guianas, Venezuela
The Collared Puffbird grows to about 21 cm (8.3 in) in length, and prefers to sit and wait for prey, which has earned it nicknames such as "lazy bird" and "sleeper".
Image by: 1) Nick Athanas - Ecuador 2) Patko_Erika
Puffbird,_Sooty-capped Bucco noanamae Found: Columbia
The Sooty-capped Puffbird has sooty upperparts, cap; white throat, supercilium; broad black breast-band; white lower-breast and belly with black spots and or black barring.
Image by: 1, 2) Diego Calderon
Puffbird,_Spotted Bucco tamatia Found: South America (Bolivia, Brazil and to the north)
The Spotted Puffbird has chestnut cap; black neck patch; white throat; white underparts with black spots.
Image by: 1) Joseph Wolf 2) Tony Morris 3, 4) Nick Athanas - Guyana, Brazil
Genus Chelidoptera - 1 species
Puffbird,_Swallow-winged Chelidoptera tenebrosa Found: South America (Bolivia, Brazil and to the north)
The Swallow-tailed Puffbird has mainly dark plumage; white or rufous belly; white rump. Its small bill is atypical for a puffbird.
Image by: 1, 2) Claudio Timm - Brazil 3, 4) Nick Athanas - Columbia, Brazil
Genus Hapaloptila - 1 species
Nunbird, White-faced Hapaloptila castanea Found: Columbia, Ecuador, Peru
The White-faced Nunbird has brown upperparts; chestnut breast; white face / forehead outlined in black; white throat; long and heavy black bill.
Image by: 1) Juan Pablo López Ordóñez 2, 3) Nick Athanas - Ecuador
Genus Hypnelus - 1 species
Puffbird,_Russet-throated Hypnelus ruficollis Found: Columbia, Venezuela
The Russet-throated Puffbird has brown upperparts with small-whitish spots; mainly white face; yellow eye; thick black hooked-tip bill; mainly whitish underparts. Sone subspecies have two dark breast-bands and a white throat; others have 1 dark breast-band and a russet throat. Both versions are representeded below.
Image by: 1, 2, 3) Barloventomagico - Venezuela 4) Laura Gooch - Venezuela 5, 6) Nick Athanas - Columbia
Genus Malacoptila
Puffbird,_Black-streaked Malacoptila fulvogularis Found: Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, Peru
The Darl-streaked Puffbird has dark brown upperparts; blackish head with white streaks; brownish-yellow upper-breast patch; heavily streaked underparts.
Image by: 1) Joseph Wolf 2) Carlo Castellani - Bolivia 3) ProAves Colombia Nick Athanas - Ecuador
Puffbird,_Crescent-chested Malacoptila striata Found: Brazil
The Crescent-chested Puffbird has brown upperparts with streaking on head and upperparts; white upper-breast crescent bordered below by black
Image by: 1) Carlos_Henrique - Brazil 2) Dario Sanches - Brazil 3) Claudio Timm 4) Brendan_Ryan 
Puffbird,_Moustached Malacoptila mystacalis Found: Columbia, Venezuela
The Moustached Puffbird has a slight white moustach; small white forehead patch.
Image by:
1, 4) Julian Londono - Columbia 3) Ron Knight 4) Alejandro_Tamayo.jpg){kind=link}
Puffbird,_Rufous-necked Malacoptila rufa Found: Bolivia, Brazil, Peru
The Rufous-naped Puffbird has brown upperparts; rufous rear collar and lores; gray crown; negligible streaking.
Image by: 1) Maria Ogrzewalska - Brazil 2) Nick Athanas - Brazil
Puffbird,_Semicollared Malacoptila semicincta Found: Bolivia, Brazil, Peru
The Semicollared Puffbird has dark brown upperparts with whitish streaking; grayish-brown head; buffy underparts with dark streaking - especially over the breast; orange-yellow bill; orange patch on hind-neck.
Image by: 1) Vil Sandi - Peru 2) tulpius
Puffbird,_White-chested Malacoptila fusca Found: Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, the Guianas, Peru, Venezuela
The White-chested Puffbird has a white breast-patch, but it is usually not visible. It has buffy spots / streaking on dark upperparts; orange bill.
Image by: 1) Don Faulkner - Ecuador 2) Sumaco 3) Nick Athanas - Ecuador
Puffbird,_White-whiskered Malacoptila panamensis Found: Mexico, Ecuador
The White-whiskered Puffbird has mainly reddish-brown upperparts; buffy underparts; steaking on upper and underparts; dark bill.
Image by: 1) Francesco Veronesi - Panama 2) Aaron_Maizlish -
Panama 3, 4) Nick Athanas - Panama
Genus Micromonacha - 1 species
Monklet, Lanceolated Micromonacha lanceolata Found: Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru
The Lanceolated Monklet has choclate-brown upperparts; white lores; white underparts with thick black stripes.
Image by: 1) Joel Rosentha - Peru 2) Columbia Travel 3, 4) Nick Athanas - Ecuador.jpg){kind=link}
Genus Monasa
These are large black nunbirds.
Nunbird, Black Monasa atra Found: Brazil, Columbia, the Guianas, Venezuela
The Black Nunbird has mainly black plumage; white shouder area; red bill.
SImilar to: Yellow-billed Nunbird. Yellow-billed Nunbird has yellow bill; Black Nunbird has red bill.
Image by: 1) Dave Curtis - Guyana 2) Jerry Oldenettel - Venezuela 3) Nick Athanas - VenezuelaSImilar to: Yellow-billed Nunbird. Yellow-billed Nunbird has yellow bill; Black Nunbird has red bill.
Nunbird, Black-fronted Monasa nigrifrons Found: Bolivia, Brazil, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru
The Black-fronted Nunbird has all black plumage; orange bill.
Image by: 1) Wagner Lemes 2) Charlie Westerinen - Peru 3) Cláudio Timm -
Brazil 4) Nick Athanas - Brazil
Nunbird, White-fronted Monasa morphoeus Found: Central and South America
The White-fronted Nunbird has all black plumage except a white forehead and chin; orange bill.
Image by: 1) Dick Daniels - Ecuador 2) David Cook - Ecuador 3, 4) Nick Athanas _ Ecuador, Ecuador, Panama
Nunbird, Yellow-billed Monasa flavirostris Found: southeast Columbia to northern Bolivia to western Brazil
The Yellow-billed Nunbird has mainly black plumage; white on the shoulder region; yellow bill.
SImilar to: Black Nunbird. Yellow-billed Nunbird has yellow bill; Black Nunbird has red bill.
Image by: 1) Jeff Dyck - Ecuador 2) Nick Athanas - EcuadorSImilar to: Black Nunbird. Yellow-billed Nunbird has yellow bill; Black Nunbird has red bill.
Genus Nonnula
Nunlet,_Brown Nonnula brunnea Found: Columbia, Ecudor, Peru
Image by: 1) Nick Athanas - Ecuador
Nunlet, Gray-cheeked Nonnula frontalis Found: Columbia, Panama
The Gray-cheeked Nunlet has rufous throat, breast; gray cheeks.
Image by: 1) Juan Arango - Columbia 2) Diego
Nunlet, Ruby-breasted Nonnula rubecula Found: South America
The Ruby-breasted Nunlet has mainly dull brown upperparts; pale rufous throat, breast; whitish belly; pale eye-ring, lores.
Image by: 1) William Swainson 2) Marcel Holyoak - Brazil 3) Claudio Timm 4) Nick Athanas - Brazil
Nunlet, Rufous-capped Nonnula ruficapilla Found: Bolivia, Brazil, Peru
The Rufous-capped Nunlet has brown upperparts; rufous cap; lighter rufous underparts; blue-gray cheeks, neck.
Image by: 1) Dennis Thompson - Peru 2) Ana Morales
Genus Notharchus
Puffbird,_Black-breasted Notharchus pectoralis Found: Columbia, Ecuador, Panama
The Black-breasted Puffbird has black upperparts, head; white throat; white arc on nape; black upper-breast; white lower-breast, belly.
Similar to: Pied Puffbird. Black-breasted Puffbird has white arc on nape; Pied Puffbird black nape.
Similar to: White-necked Puffbird. White-necked Puffbird has white forehead; Black-breasted Puffbird has black forehead.
Image by: 1) Kb4003 - Panama 2) Dominic Sherony - Panama 3) Sebastian Calle - Columbia 4) Nick Athanas - PanamaSimilar to: Pied Puffbird. Black-breasted Puffbird has white arc on nape; Pied Puffbird black nape.
Similar to: White-necked Puffbird. White-necked Puffbird has white forehead; Black-breasted Puffbird has black forehead.
Puffbird,_Brown-banded Notharchus ordii Found: Bolivia, Brazil, Peru, Venezuela
The Brown-banded Puffbird is found in an area some 1,700 km (1,100 mi) long and 400 km (250 mi) wide, which includes the north and centre of Amazonas state, Brazil—a northwestern region of the Amazon Basin—and the upper reaches of the Orinoco River in south-central Venezuela, where it flows north into the Caribbean.
Image by:
1) Claudio Timm 2, 3) Nick Athanas - Brazil
Puffbird,_Buff-bellied Notharchus swainsoni Found: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay
The Buff-bellied Puffbird has black upperparts, crown; white neck, throat, forehead; black breast-band; buff belly.
Image by: 1) Ben Tavener - Brazil 2) Fabio Manfredini 3) Nick Athanas - Brazil
Puffbird,_Guianan Notharchus macrorhynchos Found: Brazil, the Guianas, Venezuela
The Guianan Puffbird has black upperparts; black head; white forehead; white underparts with narrow black breast-band.
Similar to: White-necked Puffbird. White-necked Puffbird has larger white forehead patch than does Guianan Puffbird.
Image by: 1) Peter Bono - Brazil 2) Bertrando Campos 3) Claudio_Timm - BrazilSimilar to: White-necked Puffbird. White-necked Puffbird has larger white forehead patch than does Guianan Puffbird.
Puffbird,_Pied Notharchus tectus Found: Central and South America
The Pied Puffbird has black upperparts; black head with white freckles and white eye-line; white underparts with narrow black breast-band.
Similar to: Black-breasted Puffbird. Black-breasted Puffbird has white arc on nape; Pied Puffbird black nape.
Similar to: White-necked Puffbird. White-necked Puffbird has white forehead; Pied Puffbird has black forehead.
Image by: 1) Sean McCann 2, 3) Dick Daniels - Soberania National Park, Panama 4) Nick Athanas - BrazilSimilar to: Black-breasted Puffbird. Black-breasted Puffbird has white arc on nape; Pied Puffbird black nape.
Similar to: White-necked Puffbird. White-necked Puffbird has white forehead; Pied Puffbird has black forehead.
Puffbird,_White-necked Notharchus hyperrhynchus Found: Columbia, Ecuador, Panama
The White-necked Puffbird has black upperparts, head; white forehead; white underparts with wide black breast-band.
Similar to: Black-breasted Puffbird, Pied Puffbird. White-necked Puffbird has white forehead; others have black forehead.
Similar to: Guianan Puffbird. White-necked Puffbird has larger white forehead patch than does Guianan Puffbird.
Image by: 1) Jerry Kirkhart - Belize 2) Dick Daniels - Panama 3) Rob_Batchelder - Nicaragua 4) Nick Athanas - PanamaSimilar to: Black-breasted Puffbird, Pied Puffbird. White-necked Puffbird has white forehead; others have black forehead.
Similar to: Guianan Puffbird. White-necked Puffbird has larger white forehead patch than does Guianan Puffbird.
Genus Nystalus
Puffbird,_Barred Nystalus radiatus Found: Panama. Columbia, Ecuador
The Barred Puffbird is found in forests in the Tumbes-Chocó-Magdalena of Panama, Colombia and Ecuador.
Image by: 1, 2) Dave Curtis - Panama
Puffbird,_Spot-backed Nystalus maculatus Found: Argentina, Bolivai, Brazil, Paraguay
The Spot-backed Puffbird has buffy barred upperparts; dark brown spotted crown; orange-rufous throat, upper-breast; pale lower breast with dark spots; red-bill.
Image by: 1) Jacek Kisielewski - Brazil 2, 3) Dilson Santos - Brazil 4) Claudio Timm 5) Nick Athanas - Brazil
Puffbird,_Eastern_Striolated Nystalus striolatus Found: Bolivia, Brazil, Peru
The Eastern Striolated Puffbird has barred upperparts; pale underpart with stripes; mostly pale bill. The Eastern and Western Striolated Puffbirds used to be conspecific.
Image by: 1) Joseph Smit 2) Claudio Timm 3) Tony Castro 4) Almir Almeida
Puffbird,_Western-Striolated Nystalus obamai Found: Bolivia, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru
The Westenr-Striolated Puffbird's scientific name was for President Obama. The Eastern and Western Striolated Puffbirds used to be conspecific.
Image by: 1) Nick Athanas - Ecuador 2) Jose Francisco Barros - Ecuador
Puffbird,_White-eared Nystalus chacuru Found: mainly Bolivia, Brazil; also Argentina, Paraguay
The White-eared Puffbird has brown back, wings, crown; white ear-patch surrounded by black; orange bill with black tip.
Image by: 1) William Swainson 2) Claudio Timm 3) Dario Sanches - Brazil 4) Tony_Morris - Paraguay
Jacamars have long tails and bills which produce a hummingbird type appearance, but the jacamars
live on insects, not nectar. Like the rest of the piciformes, the jacamars have two toes forward and
two toes facing to the rear. The jacamars are the only piciform family that has down feathers in the young.
jacamars are found in Central and South America. 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.
jacamars are found in Central and South America. 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.
Genus Brachygalba
Jacamar,_Brown Brachygalba lugubris Found: South America
The Brown Jacamar has moastly dark brown upperparts; glossy purple wings; whitish neck.
Image by: 1) Barloventomagico - Venezuela 2) Brendan_Ryan - Venezuela 3) Nick Athanas - Venezuela Carlos_Henrique - Brazil
Jacamar, Dusky-backed Brachygalba salmoni Found: border between Colombia and Panama
The Dusky-backed Jacamar has greenish-black upperparts; browner crown; white throat; cinnamon belly.
Image by: 1) Slater et. al. 2) Scanbird
Jacamar,_Pale-headed Brachygalba goeringi Found: Columbia. Venezuela
The Pale-headed Jacamar has pale head; white throat, lower-belly.
Image by: 1, 2) Barloventomagico 3) Nick Athanas - Venezuela 
Jacamar, White-throated Brachygalba albogularis Found: Bolivia, Brazil, Peru
The White-throated Jacamar has has mainly dark brown to blackish plumage; whitish face; white throat;; yellow bill.
Image by: 1) Mahad Shah 2) Cliff Buckton
Genus Galbalcyrhynchus
Jacamar,_Purus Galbalcyrhynchus purusianus Found: Bolivia, Brazil, Peru
The Purus Jacamar has mainly chestnut colored plumage; glossy black wings, tail; heavy pink bill.
Image by: 1) Joao Wuental 2) Vincent_Vos - Bolivia 3) Bill_Bouton - Peru.jpg){kind=link}
Jacamar,_White-eared Galbalcyrhynchus leucotis Found: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
The White-eared Jacamar has mainly dark reddish-chestnut plumage; white ear-covert
Image by: 1) Marcel Holyoak 2) Nick Athanas - Ecuador 3) Albert Michaud - Ecuador
Genus Galbula
Jacamar,_Blue-cheeked also Blue-necked Jacamar Galbula cyanicollis Found: Bolivia, Brazil, and Peru.
The Blue-cheeked Jacamar has bluish head, neck; rufous underparts; yellow lower mandible.
Similar to: Yellow-billed Jacamar. Yellow-billed Jacamar range is north of Blue-cheeked Jacamar.
Image by: 1) Castelnau 2) Maria Ogrzewalska 3) Nick Athanas - BrazilSimilar to: Yellow-billed Jacamar. Yellow-billed Jacamar range is north of Blue-cheeked Jacamar.
Jacamar,_Bluish-fronted Galbula cyanescens Found: Bolivia, Brazil, Peru
The Bluish-fronted Jacamar hashas iridescent green upperparts; bluish-green crown; bluish forehead; chestnut lower belly.
Similar to: White-chinned Jacamar. Bluish-fronted Jacamar has bluish-green crown; White-chinned Jacamar has grayish-brown crown.
Image by: 1) Francesco Veronesi - Peru 2) Nick Athanas - Peru 3) Vil_Sandi - PeruSimilar to: White-chinned Jacamar. Bluish-fronted Jacamar has bluish-green crown; White-chinned Jacamar has grayish-brown crown.
Jacamar,_Bronzy Galbula leucogastra Found: South America
The Bronzy Jacamar seems to be most numerous in low-stature, sandy-soil campinas, especially north of the Amazon.
Image by: 1) John Gerrard Keulemans 2) Nick Athanas - Brazil
Jacamar,_Coppery-chested Galbula pastazae Found: Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
The Coppery-chested Jacamar has green upperparts, head, breast; blue crown; green (male) or rufous-chestnut (female) throat.
Image by: 1) Aves_y_Conservacion 2) Francesco Veronesi - Ecuador 3) Nick Athanas - Ecuador-NBII_Image_Gallery-a00279.jpg){kind=link}
1) Female
Jacamar,_Great Jacamerops aureus Found: Costa Rica to Bolivia and Brazil
The Great Jacamar has glossy green upperparts; mainly rufous underparts; black bill. It is the largest by far of the Jacamars.
Image by: 1) Dave Curtis - Guyana 2) Dominic Sherony - Panama 3) Nick Athanas - Ecuador 4) Francesco_Veronesi - Panama
Jacamar,_Green-tailed Galbula galbula Found: Brazil, Colombia, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela
The Green-tailed Jacamar has has metalic green upperparts; white or buff throat; rufous underparts with metalic green breast band.
Similar to: Rufous-tailed Jacamar. Green-tailed Jacamar has green under-tail; Rufous-tailed Jacamar has rufous under-tail.
Image by: 1) Sergey Pisarevskiy - Columbia 2) Dave Curtis - Guyana 3) Allan Hopkins 4) Nick Athanas - VenezuelaSimilar to: Rufous-tailed Jacamar. Green-tailed Jacamar has green under-tail; Rufous-tailed Jacamar has rufous under-tail.
Jacamar,_Paradise Galbula dea Found: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Guyanas
The Paradise Jacamar has mainly iridescent black plumage; white throat patch.
Image by: 1) Hector Bottai - Brazil 2) Nick Athanas - Brazil 3) Amy_McAndrews - Brazil
Jacamar,_Purplish Galbula chalcothorax Found: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
The Purplish Jacamar has reddish-purple upperparts; purple crown.
Image by: 1) John Gerrard Keulemans 2) Nick Athanas - Ecuador 3) Kelley_Sampeck
.jpg){kind=link}
Jacamar,_Rufous-tailed Galbula ruficauda Found: Central and South America
The Rufous-tailed Jacamar has metalic green upperparts; white or buff throat; rufous underparts with metalic green breast band.
Similar to: Green-tailed Jacamar. Green-tailed Jacamar has green under-tail; Rufous-tailed Jacamar has rufous under-tail.
Image by: 1, 2) New Jersy Birds 3) Jerry Oldenettel - Costa Rica 4) Dario
Sanches - Brazil 5) Nick Athanas - VenezuelaSimilar to: Green-tailed Jacamar. Green-tailed Jacamar has green under-tail; Rufous-tailed Jacamar has rufous under-tail.
Jacamar,_White-chinned Galbula tombacea Found: Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
The White-chinned Jacamar has iridescent green upperparts; grayish-brown crown; hard to see white-chin (male); chestnut lower belly.
Similar to: Bluish-fronted Jacamar. Bluish-fronted Jacamar has bluish-green crown; White-chinned Jacamar has grayish-brown crown.
Image by: 1) Cláudio Timm - the Amazon, Brazil 2) Marcel Holyoak - Peru 3) Nick Athanas - EcuadorSimilar to: Bluish-fronted Jacamar. Bluish-fronted Jacamar has bluish-green crown; White-chinned Jacamar has grayish-brown crown.
Jacamar,_Yellow-billed Galbula albirostris Found: n Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, , Guyana, Peru, Suriname, Venezuela
The Yellow-billed Jacamar has iridescent green upperparts; chestnut underparts; white throat (male); yellow lower mandible.
Similar to: Blue-cheeked Jacamar. Yellow-billed Jacamar range is north of Blue-cheeked Jacamar.
Image by: 1) Sean_McCann John Gerrard Keulemans 2) Stephan Horvath 3) Nick Athanas - VenezuelaSimilar to: Blue-cheeked Jacamar. Yellow-billed Jacamar range is north of Blue-cheeked Jacamar.
Genus Jacamaralcyon - 1 species
Jacamar,_Three-toed Jacamaralcyon tridactyla Found: Brazil
The Three-toed Jacamar has slaty-black upperparts; paler underparts with some white; brownish-gray cap, throat; black bill. Three toes instead of the 4 toes of other family members.
Image by: 1) Francesco Veronesi 2) Brendan_Ryan Nigel Voaden 3) Nick Athanas
