White-necked Puffbird Notharchus hyperrhynchus

White-necked Puffbird Notharchus hyperrhynchus
(aka Notharchus macrorhynchus)

Guajará-Mirim, Rondônia, Brazil
March 2003

Puffbirds are a tropical New World family of birds looking superficially a bit like kingfishers. They perch quietly for long periods between feeding.

This characteristic is reflected in its scientific genus name of Notharchus derived from the Greek nothes meaning sluggish and arkhos meaning chief or prince. Interestingly, this is partly reflected in its Brazilian name "Capitão do Mato" or "Commander of the Forest" - a more elegant name than the Spanish name for the same bird of "Juan Bobo" or "Silly John"

The White-necked Puffbird is one of the largest at 25 cms (10") and is noted for its white forehead and its broad black breast band.

It is found in forest borders and secondary growth from southern Mexico to the Amazon Basin. The extensive white on the forehead of the bird in this photo shows it to be distinct from Guianan Puffbird N. macrorhynchus which is treated as a separate species by the HBW and Birdlife International Checklist, Howard & Moore 2013 and by the South American Classification Committee although many authorities continue to lump these two species.

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