Swallow-winged Puffbird
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Quick Facts
- Scientific Name: Chelidoptera tenebrosa
- Spanish Name: Bobo ala de golondrina
- Family: Bucconidae
- Known Nicknames: Swallow-wing, Swallow-winged Puffbird
- Average Length: 14–15 cm / 5.5–5.9 in
- Average Weight: 30–40 g / 1.1–1.4 oz
- Wingspan: N/A
- Key Feature: Broad, flattened bill; long, pointed wings; distinctive white rump patch
- Primary Diet: Insectivore
- Range: Amazon Basin and Guianas, from eastern Colombia and Venezuela to northern Bolivia and central Brazil
- Habitat: Lowland rainforest edges, clearings, riverbanks, and gallery forests
- Social Structure: Solitary or in pairs
- Nesting/Breeding: Burrows excavated in termite nests or soft earth banks
- Conservation Status: Least Concern (LC)
- Population Trend: Stable
The Swallow-winged Puffbird (*Chelidoptera tenebrosa*) is a strikingly sleek and aerial bird found in the lowland forests and savannas of South America, a unique member of the puffbird family that has evolved for life on the wing. Its most distinctive feature is its long, pointed, swallow-like wings and a deeply forked tail, which set it apart from the typically chunky, sedentary puffbirds, allowing it to hawk insects mid-air with remarkable agility. The bird’s general appearance is a study in contrast: a glossy, dark blue-black or sooty body, a bright white rump that flashes in flight, and a short, stout, black bill that belies its swift-catching lifestyle. Special features include its habit of nesting in earthen banks or termite mounds, where it digs a tunnel with its beak and feet, and its loud, piercing “peee-yew” call that echoes through its territory.
Fun Facts
The swallow-winged puffbird is a master of aerial acrobatics, often sallying out from a perch to snatch insects mid-flight, then returning to the same spot like a tiny feathered boomerang. Its most quirky behavior is its habit of nesting in active termite mounds, where it carves out a tunnel and chamber, using the termites’ constant repairs to seal the entrance and deter predators. It also has a unique, flattened skull that helps it squeeze into tight crevices, and its call is a surprisingly loud, piercing whistle that sounds more like a large raptor than a small puffbird.
Habitats & Distribution
The Swallow-winged Puffbird inhabits tropical lowland forests, primarily favoring terra firme forest, forest edges, and clearings with scattered trees. It is also commonly found along rivers, in savanna-forest mosaics, and around human-altered habitats such as plantations and secondary growth. This species avoids dense, closed-canopy rainforest interiors, preferring open or semi-open areas where it can perch conspicuously on exposed branches or dead snags. Its distribution spans much of the Amazon Basin in South America, ranging from southern Venezuela, the Guianas, and Colombia through eastern Ecuador, Peru, and northern Bolivia, into the Brazilian Amazon. It extends southward into parts of the Pantanal and the cerrado of central Brazil, and eastward to the Atlantic coast in the Brazilian states of Maranhão and Piauí. The species is generally resident throughout its range, with no significant migratory movements reported.
Behaviours & Reproduction
The Swallow-winged Puffbird is generally solitary or found in pairs, defending a small territory rather than forming flocks. Mating is monogamous, with pairs engaging in a simple courtship that involves short chases and mutual preening. Their most unique reproductive strategy is nesting in self-excavated burrows dug into steep, sandy riverbanks or termite mounds, a behavior rare among puffbirds. The female lays 2-3 white eggs directly on the bare floor of the chamber, with both parents sharing incubation and feeding duties. The chicks are altricial and remain in the burrow for several weeks, fledging once they are capable of strong flight.
Diet
The Swallow-winged Puffbird is an aerial insectivore, meaning it captures almost all of its food in mid-flight, a behavior rare among puffbirds. Its diet consists almost exclusively of large flying insects, particularly bees, wasps, ants, beetles, and various flies, which it snatches with a swift, acrobatic sally from a high, exposed perch. Interestingly, this species has a highly specialized feeding strategy: it often hunts in the early morning or late afternoon, targeting swarms of social insects like stingless bees and termites during their nuptial flights. Another fascinating fact is that it will regularly follow army ant swarms on the ground, not to eat the ants themselves, but to catch the panicked insects and other small arthropods that flee from the advancing column into the air, demonstrating a clever adaptation to exploit temporary food bonanzas.
Colors
The Swallow-winged Puffbird is predominantly sooty black or dark gray, with a contrasting white rump and white underwing coverts. Its most unique feature is a striking white patch on the lower belly and undertail coverts, while a distinctive pale, almost white, bill adds contrast. This dark upper body coloration provides camouflage against tree trunks and shadowy forest interiors, while the white rump and wing patches disrupt its outline in flight, aiding in predator avoidance.
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