Bird Album
Black Nunbird
Monasa atra (Boddaert, 1783)
25–29 cmLength90 gWeight
The black nunbird (Monasa atra) is a species of bird in the family Bucconidae, the puffbirds, nunlets, and nunbirds.
Busiest months: January–February and November · Most records: Guyana, Suriname, Brazil
Where and when it's recorded
Black Nunbird has been recorded at 36 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 5 countries and regions.
Records by month Northern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Fredberg – Zintete LodgeSuriname335 records
- Atta Lodge / Iwokrama Canopy WalkwayGuyana251 records
- Manaus – MUSA/Jardim Botânico A. DuckeBrazil245 records
More places
- Iwokrama River LodgeGuyana212 records
- RF de Imataca – Campamento Río GrandeVenezuela127 records
- Surama EcoLodgeGuyana122 records
- Surama EcoLodge – Borro Borro TrailGuyana118 records
- PN CauraVenezuela78 records
- Borro Borro River – Carahaa LandingGuyana74 records
- Kabalebo Nature ResortSuriname66 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The black nunbird (Monasa atra) is a species of bird in the family Bucconidae, the puffbirds, nunlets, and nunbirds. It is found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Black Nunbird?
The Black Nunbird is about 25–29 cm long and weighs around 90 g.
Where does the Black Nunbird live?
Its breeding range: South America: northern Amazonia. It is most often recorded in Guyana, Suriname and Brazil.
When is the best time to see the Black Nunbird?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in January, February and November (Northern Hemisphere).
Is the Black Nunbird endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Black Nunbird as Least Concern.
What does the Black Nunbird eat?
Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.
What family is the Black Nunbird in?
It belongs to the family Puffbirds (Bucconidae), order Piciformes.
At a glance
- Length
- 25–29 cm
- Weight
- 90 g
- Habitat
- Forest
- Diet
- Insects & other invertebrates
- Lifestyle
- Perches in trees
- Migration
- Resident (barely migrates)
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 125 mm
- Tail
- 120 mm
- Bill
- 42 mm
- Tarsus
- 20 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
South America: northern Amazonia
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Piciformes
- Family
- Puffbirds Bucconidae
- Genus
- Monasa
Other birds in the genus Monasa
Black-fronted NunbirdMonasa nigrifrons
White-fronted NunbirdMonasa morphoeus
Yellow-billed NunbirdMonasa flavirostris
White-necked PuffbirdNotharchus hyperrhynchus
Guianan PuffbirdNotharchus macrorhynchos
Buff-bellied PuffbirdNotharchus swainsoni
Black-breasted PuffbirdNotharchus pectoralis
Brown-banded PuffbirdNotharchus ordii
Pied PuffbirdNotharchus tectus
Chestnut-capped PuffbirdBucco macrodactylus
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Rogério Gribel. ↗
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