The Story
I photographed this White-eared Jacamar (Galbalcyrhynchus leucotis) at the Malecón Turístico, the riverfront promenade of San José del Guaviare, Guaviare, Colombia, in February 2021. It perches at mid to upper canopy height, alone or in small groups, and sallies out to catch its prey. Nests found in Ecuador and Peru were cavities dug into termite nests high in trees. It is generally common in its large range and occurs in several protected areas. IUCN lists it as Least Concern.
I made this frame with a Canon R5 and the RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L, at 1/350 sec, f/6.7, ISO 1600. San José del Guaviare is often called the gateway to the Colombian Amazon, and fast boats from the town reach the Raudal del Guayabero, about 38 kilometers away.
©2022 Adam Rainoff Photographer
The bird
The White-eared Jacamar (Galbalcyrhynchus leucotis) belongs to the family Galbulidae (Jacamars) 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