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    Bucconidae – Puffbirds

    These puffy birds can eat poisonous prey for breakfast

    The puffbirds are a family of tropical birds spanning the forests and woodlands of the Neotropics. They are called ‘puffbirds’ because of their loosely arranged plumage and whisker-like bristles over their beaks, giving them a puffy and disheveled look.

    They are primarily carnivorous, feeding on large invertebrates and small vertebrates. Many species like noxious prey, such as centipedes and caterpillars. Their hunting strategy is to perch and wait motionlessly on exposed branches for extended periods, catch their prey, and bring it back to the perch to kill and eat.

    Puffbirds are monogamous. The mother and father are both responsible for making the nest as a burrow, incubating the eggs, and feeding the chicks.