Photo: Agabrieleandreia / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Spot-backed Puffbird
Nystalus maculatus
Spot-backed Puffbird (Nystalus maculatus) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Spot-backed Puffbird (Nystalus maculatus) is a member of the Bucconidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 42 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Piciformes
- Family Bucconidae Puffbirds
- Genus Nystalus
- Species maculatus
Where it lives
Northeastern, central, south-central Brazil and eastern Bolivia south through western Paraguay to central Argentina
Quick facts
- Weight
- 42 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Bucconidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Spot-backed Puffbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Spot-backed Puffbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Spot-backed Puffbird (Nystalus maculatus) belongs to the Bucconidae family of the order Piciformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA ne, c, sc Brazil and e Bolivia s through w Paraguay to c Argentina.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 42 g, with a wing length of about 7.7 cm and a tail of around 6.9 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 3.6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Spot-backed Puffbird?
The Spot-backed Puffbird is a small bird that weighs around 42 g.
Where does the Spot-backed Puffbird live?
The Spot-backed Puffbird is found across South America with a range covering SA ne, c, sc Brazil and e Bolivia s through w Paraguay to c Argentina, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Spot-backed Puffbird belong to?
The Spot-backed Puffbird (Nystalus maculatus) belongs to the Bucconidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Spot-backed Puffbird eat?
The Spot-backed Puffbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Spot-backed Puffbird migrate?
The Spot-backed Puffbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Spot-backed Puffbird endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Spot-backed Puffbird make?
1 real field recording of the Spot-backed Puffbird — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Spot-backed Puffbird's range?
The Spot-backed Puffbird has a mapped global range of about 3.6 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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