Swallow-winged Puffbird

Swallow-winged Puffbird (Chelidoptera tenebrosa) at Kuru Kururu, Guyana (Photo by Kester Clarke www.kesterclarke.net)
Swallow-winged Puffbird (Chelidoptera tenebrosa) at Kuru Kururu, Guyana (Photo by Kester Clarke www.kesterclarke.net)

The swallow-winged puffbird is a very distinctive and fairly common bird, most often encountered perched high on a dead branch along a riverbank, or on a telephone wire, and is typically observed in pairs, which are sometimes found in direct proximity to the neighbouring pair. The swallow-winged puffbird’s overall dark plumage contrasts with the whitish or rufous belly and white rump. The birds regularly sally forth to seize insects in flight.