Moustached Puffbird (Malacoptila mystacalis)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Moustached Puffbird

Malacoptila mystacalis (Lafresnaye, 1850)

20–23 cmLength49 gWeight

The moustached puffbird (Malacoptila mystacalis) is a species of bird in the family Bucconidae, the puffbirds, nunlets, and nunbirds.

Busiest months: November · Most records: Colombia, Venezuela

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Moustached Puffbird has been recorded at 75 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 2 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Hotel Tinamú Birding Nature ReserveColombia2,258 records
  2. Arrierito Antioqueño ProAves ReserveColombia542 records
  3. Alto Anchicayá - El DescansoColombia434 records
More places
  1. Camino Montezuma – Montezuma Rainforest LodgeColombia333 records
  2. Camino Montezuma – Río ClaroColombia332 records
  3. PNN Tatamá – Camino MontezumaColombia322 records
  4. Ecoparque Los Alcázares-ArenilloColombia317 records
  5. Las Tangaras ProAves ReserveColombia305 records
  6. SFF Otún QuimbayaColombia261 records
  7. Reinita Cielo Azul ProAves ReserveColombia211 records

Countries and regions with the most records

ColombiaVenezuela

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 moustached puffbird (Malacoptila mystacalis) is a species of bird in the family Bucconidae, the puffbirds, nunlets, and nunbirds. It is one of seven species in the genus Malacoptila. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Venezuela.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Moustached Puffbird?

The Moustached Puffbird is about 20–23 cm long and weighs around 49 g.

Where does the Moustached Puffbird live?

Its breeding range: South America: Colombia, Venezuela and north-central Ecuador. It is most often recorded in Colombia and Venezuela.

When is the best time to see the Moustached Puffbird?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Moustached Puffbird endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Moustached Puffbird as Least Concern.

What does the Moustached Puffbird eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Moustached Puffbird in?

It belongs to the family Puffbirds (Bucconidae), order Piciformes.

At a glance

Length
20–23 cm
Weight
49 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
91 mm
Tail
73 mm
Bill
32 mm
Tarsus
17 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

South America: Colombia, Venezuela and north-central Ecuador

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Puffbirds Bucconidae
Genus
Malacoptila

Other birds in the genus Malacoptila

Crescent-chested PuffbirdCrescent-chested PuffbirdMalacoptila striataWhite-chested PuffbirdWhite-chested PuffbirdMalacoptila fuscaSemicollared PuffbirdSemicollared PuffbirdMalacoptila semicinctaBlack-streaked PuffbirdBlack-streaked PuffbirdMalacoptila fulvogularisRufous-necked PuffbirdRufous-necked PuffbirdMalacoptila rufaWhite-whiskered PuffbirdWhite-whiskered PuffbirdMalacoptila panamensisWhite-necked PuffbirdWhite-necked PuffbirdNotharchus hyperrhynchusGuianan PuffbirdGuianan PuffbirdNotharchus macrorhynchosBuff-bellied PuffbirdBuff-bellied PuffbirdNotharchus swainsoniBlack-breasted PuffbirdBlack-breasted PuffbirdNotharchus pectoralis
Moustached Puffbird

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Oswaldo Hernández. ↗

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