White-whiskered Puffbird

White-whiskered Puffbird

Malacoptila panamensis

Silhouette: Matt Wilkins (Photo by Len Blumin) · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Braulio Carrillo National Park
727 Verified sightings at Braulio Carrillo National Park From 2019 to 2026
7,773 Verified sightings across all 26 parks From 2019 to 2026
September Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the White-whiskered Puffbird

The white-whiskered puffbird (Malacoptila panamensis), also called the white-whiskered soft-wing or brown puffbird, is a near-passerine bird in the family Bucconidae, the puffbirds, nunlets, and nunbirds. It is found from southeastern Mexico through Central America (except El Salvador), Colombia, and Ecuador into Peru.

The white-whiskered puffbird has these four subspecies: M. p. inornata du Bus de Gisignies (1847) M. p. panamensis Lafresnaye (1847) M. p. magdalenae Todd (1943) M. p. poliopsis Sclater (1862) It is thought to form a superspecies with the moustached puffbird (M. mystacalis) and black-streaked puffbird (M. fulvogularis).

The white-whiskered puffbird is about 18 cm (7.1 in) long with an average weight of about 43 g (1.5 oz). Unlike most puffbirds, the male and female have different plumages. Both sexes have bristles around the base of the large bill, and white "whiskers", which are actually tufts of feathers. The nominate adult male's upperparts are brown to chestnut brown. The forecrown has narrow buff or tawny streaks and most of the rest of the upperparts have buff or tawny spots. The tail is chesnut brown. Its lores... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Carara National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~40%
2 Soberanía National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~30%
3 San Lorenzo Protected Forest 🇵🇦 Panama
~20%
4 Chagres National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
5 Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary 🇧🇿 Belize
~10%
6 Corcovado National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
7 Braulio Carrillo National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
8 Montes Azules Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
~10%
9 Cahuita National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
~10%
10 Darién National Park 🇵🇦 Panama
~10%
11 Tikal National Park 🇬🇹 Guatemala
~10%
12 Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
13 Parque Natural Metropolitano 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
14 Machalilla National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
<5%
15 Piedras Blancas National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
16 Tortuguero National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
17 Farallones de Cali National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
<5%
18 La Amistad International Park (Panama) 🇵🇦 Panama
<5%
19 Marino Ballena National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
20 Tenorio Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
21 Arenal Volcano National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
<5%
22 Utría National Natural Park 🇨🇴 Colombia
Insufficient data
23 Cusuco National Park 🇭🇳 Honduras
Insufficient data
24 Manuel Antonio National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data
25 Calakmul Biosphere Reserve 🇲🇽 Mexico
Insufficient data
26 Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park 🇨🇷 Costa Rica
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a White-whiskered Puffbird in Braulio Carrillo National Park?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a White-whiskered Puffbird sighting in Braulio Carrillo National Park, based on 727 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see White-whiskered Puffbird in Braulio Carrillo National Park?

September has the highest sighting rate for White-whiskered Puffbird in Braulio Carrillo National Park in our monthly data.

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