Photo: John Gerrard Keulemans / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Purplish Jacamar
Galbula chalcothorax
Purplish Jacamar (Galbula chalcothorax) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Purplish Jacamar (Galbula chalcothorax) is a member of the Galbulidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 23.9 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 Galbulidae Jacamars
- Genus Galbula
- Species chalcothorax
Quick facts
- Weight
- 23.9 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Galbulidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Purplish Jacamar 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 Purplish Jacamar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Purplish Jacamar (Galbula chalcothorax) is a member of the Galbulidae family, within the order Piciformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA w Amazonia.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 23.9 g, with a wing length of about 8.1 cm and a tail of around 8.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 817,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Purplish Jacamar?
The Purplish Jacamar is a small bird that weighs around 23.9 g.
Where does the Purplish Jacamar live?
The Purplish Jacamar is found across South America with a range covering SA w Amazonia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Purplish Jacamar belong to?
The Purplish Jacamar (Galbula chalcothorax) belongs to the Galbulidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Purplish Jacamar eat?
The Purplish Jacamar is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Purplish Jacamar migrate?
The Purplish Jacamar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Purplish Jacamar 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 Purplish Jacamar make?
1 real field recording of the Purplish Jacamar — 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 Purplish Jacamar's range?
The Purplish Jacamar has a mapped global range of about 817,000 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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