Nystalus radiatus (P.L.Sclater, 1854)

Size and Weight

The barred puffbird (Nystalus radiatus (P.L.Sclater, 1854)) is approximately 22 cm (8.7 in) long and weighs around 63 g (2.2 oz).

Crown and Nape Markings

Its crown is blackish, marked with dark rufous bars. The upper nape is black, the lower nape is yellowish red, and the upper mantle is black.

Upperparts and Wing Coloration

The rest of the upperparts and the wings are dark chestnut with narrow black bands.

Tail Features

Its tail is long, narrow, and chestnut, also with narrow black bands.

Face and Underparts Markings

The chin is whitish, while the face and underparts are pale rufous with fine blackish bars, with the exception of the center of the belly.

Bare Part Coloration

Its bill ranges from grayish yellow to blackish, its eye is creamy yellow, and its feet are greenish gray.

Color Morph

There is also a 'fulvidus' morph that is a deeper rufous across its entire body.

Geographic Range

The barred puffbird is a resident species whose range extends from central Panama into northern Colombia, and through western Colombia into western Ecuador.

Habitat Preferences

It lives in the lower levels of a variety of semi-open landscapes, including humid and wet forest borders, streamside vegetation, clearings with scattered trees, and the edges of forest trails.

Observed Perching Behavior

In Ecuador, it has been regularly observed perching on wires in agricultural areas.

Elevation Range

In terms of elevation, it is usually found no higher than 900 m (3,000 ft), but has been recorded locally up to 1,675 m (5,500 ft) in the Mindo region of Ecuador, and once at 1,550 m (5,100 ft) in Colombia.