Rufous-tailed jacamar facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rufous-tailed jacamar
Female, Brazil
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Genus:	Galbula
Species:	ruficauda

The rufous-tailed jacamar (Galbula ruficauda) is a beautiful bird that lives in warm, tropical parts of the world. You can find it in southern Mexico, all through Central America, and down into South America, as far south as southern Brazil and Ecuador. These birds are known for their bright colors and long tails.

What Does It Look Like?

Like other jacamars, the rufous-tailed jacamar is a very elegant and brightly colored bird. It has a long beak and a long tail. This bird is usually about 25 centimeters (10 inches) long. Its black beak alone is about 5 centimeters (2 inches) long!

The top part of the bird's body is a shiny metallic green color. Its belly and the feathers under its tail are mostly orange. It also has a green band across its chest.

Differences Between Males and Females

Male and female rufous-tailed jacamars look a little different.

• The male has a white throat.
• The female has a buff (light tan) colored throat.
• Females also tend to have slightly paler orange colors on their undersides.

Some types of rufous-tailed jacamars, called subspecies, have special features. For example, the subspecies G. r. brevirostris has a shorter beak, just like its name suggests. Another subspecies, G. r. pallens, has a copper-colored back on both males and females.

• 

  Male
  G. r. ruficauda
  Tobago

• 

  Male
  G. r. melanogenia
  Belize

• 

  Male
  G. r. rufoviridis
  the Pantanal, Brazil

What Do They Eat?

The rufous-tailed jacamar is an insectivore, which means it eats mostly insects. It hunts for its food by sitting still on a branch, often with its beak pointed slightly upwards. When it spots a flying insect, it quickly flies out to catch it in mid-air. This way of hunting is called "hawking."

Some of the insects they commonly eat include:

• Flies
• Beetles
• Bees
• Dragonflies
• Butterflies

They are also known to eat a type of social wasp called Agelaia vicina. Interestingly, these birds can tell the difference between butterflies that are good to eat and those that are not, mostly by looking at their body shape.

Nesting and Reproduction

These birds live in the same area all year round. They build their nests in dry or moist woodlands and scrub areas.

Building a Home

Rufous-tailed jacamars make their nests in burrows. These burrows can be dug into a bank of soil or sometimes even into a termite mound.

Laying Eggs

Inside the burrow, the female bird lays two to four eggs. These eggs are white with rufous (reddish-brown) spots.

Their Calls and Songs

The rufous-tailed jacamar has a distinct voice. Its call sounds like a sharp pee-op. When it sings, it makes a high, thin sound that goes peeo-pee-peeo-pee-pe-pe, and it often ends with a trill.