puffbird

/puf"berrd'/, n.

any of several tropical American birds of the family Bucconidae, related to the barbets, having a large head with the feathers often fluffed out.

[1815-25; PUFF + BIRD]

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▪ bird

      any of 30 species of tropical American birds that constitute the family Bucconidae (order Piciformes). They are named for their habit of perching tamely in the open with the feathers of their large heads and short necks puffed out. Some species are known as nunlets and nunbirds.

      Puffbirds feed on flying insects. They resemble their close relatives the jacamars in habits but are thick-billed and plain coloured—rather shrikelike. They nest in holes that they dig in sloping or flat ground. Widespread species include the collared puffbird (Bucco capensis) 18 centimetres (7 inches) long, in northern South America east of the Andes, and the white-necked, or large-billed, puffbird (Notharchus macrorhynchos), 24 cm long, ranging from Mexico to Argentina.

      The six or seven species of the genus Malacoptila are medium-sized brownish puffbirds, many with conspicuous patches of white on the face. The white-whiskered puffbird (M. panamensis) has the interesting habit of plugging the entrance to its nest burrow with green leaves at night.

      The smallest species is the lanceolated monklet (Micromonacha lanceolata) from deep forests of northern South America. This 14-cm species derives its name from its quiet habits and modest brown plumage.

      The five species of nunlets (Nonnula) and the six nun birds (Monasa) are also dull-coloured quiet puffbirds, the former about 13–16 cm, the latter 20–30 cm.

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