Galbula galbula
The Green-tailed Jacamar (Galbula galbula) is a dazzling jewel of the Neotropical rainforests, characterized by its slender form and brilliant, iridescent plumage. Measuring approximately 19-22 cm (7.5-8.7 in) in length and weighing 16-25 g (0.56-0.88 oz), this species boasts shimmering metallic green upperparts that can appear bronzed or coppery depending on the light, contrasting with a rufous belly and a long, graduated tail often tipped with bronze. A distinctive field mark is its remarka...
Found primarily in lowland evergreen rainforests, secondary forests, and forest edges, often near rivers or clearings. Typically resides at elevations up to 1000 meters (3,300 feet).
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on a wide variety of large flying insects such as butterflies (including toxic Heliconius species), moths, dragonflies, bees, wasps, and flies. It captures prey using an aerial sallying technique.
Green-tailed Jacamars are diurnal, often perching motionlessly for extended periods on exposed branches within their forest habitat. Their primary foraging strategy is 'sallying,' where they dart rapidly from a perch to snatch flying insects in mid-air, usually returning to the same or a nearby v...
The Green-tailed Jacamar is a resident species distributed across northern South America. Its extensive range spans from eastern Colombia, through southern Venezuela, and across the Guianas (Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana). It also covers a significant portion of the Amazon Basin in northern...
Least Concern
- The dazzling metallic sheen of its plumage is structural, created by the microscopic arrangement of feather barbules that refract and reflect light, rather than by pigments. - Its extremely long, slender, and pointed bill is a specialized tool, allowing it to precisely snatch fast-moving insect...