White-whiskered Puffbird
Malacoptila panamensis
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPiciformes (Woodpeckers and Allies)
- FamilyBucconidae (Puffbirds)
- GenusMalacoptila (Streaked Puffbirds)
- SpeciesMalacoptila panamensis (White-whiskered Puffbird)
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 →
Closest Relatives at Tikal National Park
White-necked Puffbird
Notharchus hyperrhynchus
Keel-billed Toucan
Ramphastos sulfuratus
Collared Aracari
Pteroglossus torquatus
Pale-billed Woodpecker
Campephilus guatemalensis
Golden-fronted Woodpecker
Melanerpes aurifrons
Lineated Woodpecker
Dryocopus lineatus
Chestnut-colored Woodpecker
Celeus castaneus
Rufous-tailed Jacamar
Galbula ruficauda
Golden-olive Woodpecker
Colaptes rubiginosus
Smoky-brown Woodpecker
Leuconotopicus fumigatus
Velasquez's Woodpecker
Melanerpes santacruzi
Acorn Woodpecker
Melanerpes formicivorus
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a White-whiskered Puffbird in Tikal National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a White-whiskered Puffbird sighting in Tikal National Park, based on 117 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see White-whiskered Puffbird in Tikal National Park?
January has the highest sighting rate for White-whiskered Puffbird in Tikal National Park in our monthly data.