Bucconidae

/bʌkˈkɒnɪdiː/ noun

Definition

A family of small puffbirds found in tropical forests of Central and South America, characterized by large heads and short tails.

Etymology

Modern scientific Latin using the taxonomic suffix -idae, possibly derived from a combination of bucco- (mouth-related) and a root name, though the exact etymology is uncertain; named by ornithologists in the 19th century.

Kelly Says

Puffbirds in the Bucconidae family have such enormous mouths relative to their tiny bodies that they look like flying heads—they use this to snatch insects mid-flight with remarkable accuracy.

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