Photo: Julian Londono from Manizales, Colombia / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Moustached Puffbird
Malacoptila mystacalis
Moustached Puffbird (Malacoptila mystacalis) — 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 Moustached Puffbird (Malacoptila mystacalis) is a member of the Bucconidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 49 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 Malacoptila
- Species mystacalis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 49 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Bucconidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Moustached Puffbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Moustached Puffbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Moustached Puffbird (Malacoptila mystacalis) is a species of bird in the Bucconidae family, part of the order Piciformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA Colombia, Venezuela and nc Ecuador.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 49 g, with a wing length of about 9.1 cm and a tail of around 7.3 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 94,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Moustached Puffbird?
The Moustached Puffbird is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 49 g.
Where does the Moustached Puffbird live?
The Moustached Puffbird is found across South America with a range covering SA Colombia, Venezuela and nc Ecuador, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Moustached Puffbird belong to?
The Moustached Puffbird (Malacoptila mystacalis) belongs to the Bucconidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Moustached Puffbird eat?
The Moustached Puffbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Moustached Puffbird migrate?
The Moustached Puffbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Moustached 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 Moustached Puffbird make?
1 real field recording of the Moustached Puffbird — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Moustached Puffbird's range?
The Moustached Puffbird has a mapped global range of about 94,000 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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