As with other jacamars but otherwise unknown among Piciformes, their chicks do not hatch naked. Some of the jacamars will also eat small vertebrates like lizards. They are fed upon by rufous-tailed jacamars. The breeding systems of jacamars have not been studied in depth. Like all jacamars, the three-toed jacamar is an insectivore. Bank-nesting jacamars can sometimes be loosely colonial. Like other jacamars they are elegant, brightly coloured birds with long bills and tails. The jacamars aside, Piciformes do not have down feathers at any age, only true feathers. Both male and female jacamars incubate and will care for their baby chicks. The jacamars are small to medium-sized perching birds, in length and weighing . Jacamars lay one to four round, glossy, white eggs.