Bird Guide

Paradise Jacamar vs Rufous-tailed Jacamar

Paradise Jacamar (Galbula dea)

Paradise Jacamar

Galbula dea

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The paradise jacamar is 25.5 to 34 cm (10.0 to 13.4 in) long and weighs 25 to 32.5 g (0.88 to 1.15 oz). Both sexes of the nominate have a dark brown crown and are glossy black on the rest of the upper parts. They have a white throat and upper breast; the rest of the underparts are blackish. The other subspecies differ in a few ways. G. d. amazonum's crown is lighter and the white throat more extensive, and G. d. phainopepla is similar to it. G. d. brunneiceps's crown is lighter and its upper parts have a bronzy greenish sheen. Voice: The paradise jacamar's song is "a well-spaced "peep peep peep peep peep peep pee pee pe pe", usually descending, becoming slightly faster and weaker towards end" . Its calls are variously "a single 'pip', 'peeap' or 'glewweh'" .

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová · CC BY 4.0
Rufous-tailed Jacamar (Galbula ruficauda)

Rufous-tailed Jacamar

Galbula ruficauda

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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: Paradise Jacamar and Rufous-tailed Jacamar.