They are forest birds and the Green-tailed Jacamar is found both north of the Amazon and south of the Amazon but only between the Madeira and Tapajos rivers.

As in the photos, they are usually found sitting on a thin branch looking for passing insects which they sally out to catch and bring it back to the perch to eat. Their long bills reach past the wings of butterflies and dragonflies so that the body can be firmly grasped without the insect's wings hitting the bird's face. When catching bees and wasps, the long bill helps to keep the stings out of harms way until they have been bashed against a branch.

Like kingfishers and motmots, they excavate nests in sandy or clay banks

There are illustrations in HBW, Volume 7, Pages 87 and 98; and in Hilty & Brown, Plate 19.