Great Jacamar

The Great Jacamar is the largest member of the jacamar family (Galbulidae) and differs from its relatives in build: it has a noticeably heavier, slightly downcurved bill rather than the needle-straight bill typical of other jacamars. Plumage is richly iridescent coppery-golden green above, with a chestnut-rufous belly and, in males, a white throat patch. Compared to the more edge-loving Rufous-tailed Jacamar, this species favors shaded forest interior and perches quietly, making it easy to overlook despite its size.

Key field marks

• Large size and heavy, slightly curved bill (unlike the thin straight bills of most jacamars).
• Coppery-golden-green iridescent upperparts.
• Chestnut-rufous belly; white throat patch in males.

Similar species

Rufous-tailed Jacamar is smaller and slimmer-billed with a longer rufous tail and more extensive rufous underparts. The Great Jacamar's heavier bill and quieter, forest-interior habits are the best clues to identification.

This species inhabits the interior and edges of humid lowland (and locally foothill) evergreen forest from Nicaragua through Panama and across much of the Amazon basin, the Guianas, and parts of the western Amazon slope, generally below about 1,000-1,200 m. It is a non-migratory resident that tends to sit quietly at mid-levels rather than perching conspicuously in the open.

Voice

A loud, sharp, whistled call and a rolling trilled song, given from within the forest and often the first clue to the bird's presence given its inconspicuous perching habits.

Feeding

Great Jacamars sit motionless on a mid-story perch for long periods before sallying out to catch large flying insects such as beetles, cicadas, and butterflies, which are beaten against a branch before being swallowed.

Nesting and breeding

Like other jacamars, it nests in a burrow excavated in an earthen bank or arboreal termite nest. Both parents are believed to share incubation and chick-feeding duties.