Photo: Félix Uribe from Rionegro, Antioquia, Colombia / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rufous-tailed Jacamar
Galbula ruficauda
Rufous-tailed Jacamar (Galbula ruficauda) — Woodpeckers & Toucans of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 5 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Rufous-tailed Jacamar (Galbula ruficauda) is a member of the Galbulidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 26.5 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 Galbulidae Jacamars
- Genus Galbula
- Species ruficauda
Quick facts
- Weight
- 26.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Galbulidae
- Order
- Piciformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
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Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rufous-tailed Jacamar 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 Rufous-tailed Jacamar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rufous-tailed Jacamar (Galbula ruficauda) is a member of the Galbulidae family, within the order Piciformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA widespread.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 26.5 g, with a wing length of about 7.8 cm and a tail of around 10.1 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 7.6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rufous-tailed Jacamar?
The Rufous-tailed Jacamar is a small bird that weighs around 26.5 g.
Where does the Rufous-tailed Jacamar live?
The Rufous-tailed Jacamar is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA widespread, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Rufous-tailed Jacamar belong to?
The Rufous-tailed Jacamar (Galbula ruficauda) belongs to the Galbulidae family, in the order Piciformes.
What does the Rufous-tailed Jacamar eat?
The Rufous-tailed Jacamar is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Rufous-tailed Jacamar migrate?
The Rufous-tailed Jacamar is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rufous-tailed 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 Rufous-tailed Jacamar make?
1 real field recording of the Rufous-tailed 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 Rufous-tailed Jacamar's range?
The Rufous-tailed Jacamar has a mapped global range of about 7.6 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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