Bird Guide

Bluish-fronted Jacamar vs Rufous-tailed Jacamar

Bluish-fronted Jacamar (Galbula cyanescens)

Bluish-fronted Jacamar

Galbula cyanescens

Small25 gForest

The bluish-fronted jacamar is 20 to 23 cm (7.9 to 9.1 in) long and weighs 22 to 26 g (0.78 to 0.92 oz). The male's crown, including the forehead ("front") is metallic green to bluish and the upper parts are metallic green with a bluish gloss. The chin and upper throat are blackish, the lower throat and chest green, and the rest of the underparts rufous. The female differs only in that the lower breast and belly are ochraceous. Voice: The bluish-fronted jacamar's song is rendered as "kip kip-kip-kipkikikrkrkrrr-kree-kree-kree-kip-kip-kikikrrrrreeuw" .

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Lucas Illanes · CC BY 4.0
Rufous-tailed Jacamar (Galbula ruficauda)

Rufous-tailed Jacamar

Galbula ruficauda

Small27 gForest

Like other jacamars they are elegant, brightly coloured birds with long bills and tails. The rufous-tailed jacamar is typically 25 cm (10 in) long with a 5 cm (2 in) long black bill. The subspecies G. r. brevirostris has, as its name implies, a shorter bill. This bird is metallic green above, and the underparts are mainly orange, including the undertail, but there is a green breast band. Sexes differ in that the male has a white throat, and the female a buff throat; she also tends to have paler underparts. The race G. r. pallens has a copper-coloured back in both sexes. Voice: The rufous-tailed jacamar's call is a sharp pee-op, and the song a high thin peeo-pee-peeo-pee-pe-pe, ending in a trill.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Rufous-tailed Jacamar
Recorded by Niels Krabbe · Song · Pichincha: Río Guaycuyacu, Ecuador · CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Reuber Brandão · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Bluish-fronted Jacamar and Rufous-tailed Jacamar.