Micromonacha lanceolata
Silhouette: Matt Wilkins (Photo by Len Blumin) · PhyloPic
In 3 days <5%
The lanceolated monklet (Micromonacha lanceolata) is a species of near-passerine bird in the family Bucconidae, the puffbirds, nunlets, and nunbirds. It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama, and Peru.
The lanceolated monklet is the only member of its genus, and the only bird called a "monklet". It has no subspecies, though the population in Costa Rica and western Panama has been discussed as possibly being one. The lanceolated monklet is 13 to 15 cm (5.1 to 5.9 in) long and weighs 19 to 22 g (0.67 to 0.78 oz). It is entirely warm brown with scale-like buffy markings above. It has white bristles around the base of the large bill, and white "whiskers", which are actually tufts of feathers. Its lores and a half ring behind the eye are white. The wings and the top side of the tail are dark brown and the tail's underside is gray. Most of its underparts are white with heavy black streaks; the center of the belly is unstreaked and the vent area has an ochre tinge.
The lanceolated monklet is found in several disjunct areas. One is the Caribbean slope in Costa Rica and into west central... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Podocarpus National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 2 | Sierra de la Macarena National Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 3 | Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica | |
| 4 | Yasuní National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 5 | Farallones de Cali National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 6 | Arenal Volcano National Park | 🇨🇷 Costa Rica |
Rare
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Lanceolated Monklet sighting in Yasuní National Park on a given day, based on 16 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 482nd most-seen of the 533 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to under 5%, if each day is a fresh chance.
Any time of year
In every month with enough records, under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Lanceolated Monklet in Yasuní National Park on a given day, so our monthly data shows no clear season.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Lanceolated Monklet sightings with a recorded time, and about 8 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
Among the best
Of the 6 parks where we can rate Lanceolated Monklet sightings, Yasuní National Park ranks 4th at under 5%, level with the leaders once rounded. The best odds are in Podocarpus National Park (Ecuador, under 5%), Sierra de la Macarena National Park (Colombia, under 5%) and Tapantí-Macizo de la Muerte National Park (Costa Rica, under 5%).
Same family: Bucconidae
The closest relatives of the Lanceolated Monklet that you can see in Yasuní National Park (family Bucconidae, Puffbirds) are Black-fronted Nunbird (about 20%), Swallow-wing Puffbird (about 20%) and White-fronted Nunbird (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Lanceolated Monklet is recorded against all the birds logged in Yasuní National Park (16 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
