Photo: Gonzo.Lubitsch / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rufous-necked Puffbird
Malacoptila rufa
Rufous-necked Puffbird (Malacoptila rufa) — 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 Rufous-necked Puffbird (Malacoptila rufa) is a member of the Bucconidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 47.5 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 rufa
Quick facts
- Weight
- 47.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Bucconidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rufous-necked 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 Rufous-necked Puffbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rufous-necked Puffbird (Malacoptila rufa) is a member of the Bucconidae family, within the order Piciformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA s, c Amazonia.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 47.5 g, with a wing length of about 8.7 cm and a tail of around 6.2 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 2.6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rufous-necked Puffbird?
The Rufous-necked Puffbird is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 47.5 g.
Where does the Rufous-necked Puffbird live?
The Rufous-necked Puffbird is found across South America with a range covering SA s, c Amazonia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Rufous-necked Puffbird belong to?
The Rufous-necked Puffbird (Malacoptila rufa) belongs to the Bucconidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Rufous-necked Puffbird eat?
The Rufous-necked Puffbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Rufous-necked Puffbird migrate?
The Rufous-necked Puffbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rufous-necked 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 Rufous-necked Puffbird make?
1 real field recording of the Rufous-necked 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 Rufous-necked Puffbird's range?
The Rufous-necked Puffbird has a mapped global range of about 2.6 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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