The Story
This Black-fronted Nunbird (Monasa nigrifrons) was at La Macarena, Meta, Colombia when I photographed it. It is found in southeastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru and much of Brazil, from sea level to about 1,000 meters. It takes most of its prey in flight, mostly insects but also small lizards and amphibians. It nests in a hole dug into a bank or into flat or gently sloping ground. La Macarena is part of the Sierra de la Macarena and of the Macarena Special Management Area, which brings together several protected areas. The Sierra de la Macarena is home to about 420 bird species, along with eight species of primates.
I made this frame with a Pentax K-1 and the HD Pentax-D FA 150-450mm f/4.5-5.6, at 1/800 sec, f/5.6, ISO 400. IUCN lists the Black-fronted Nunbird as Least Concern, with a decreasing population.
©2020 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The Black-fronted Nunbird (Monasa nigrifrons) belongs to the family Bucconidae (Puffbirds) in the eBird/Clements taxonomy.
Source: eBird.org (opens in a new tab)
Conservation
Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessment published 2024), with the population trend listed as decreasing. Source: IUCN Red List