The nominate male's crown is ash brown and the rest of the upper parts are a dark metallic bronzy green.

It has a small white chin spot, a glittery green throat and chest, and a reddish chestnut belly and vent area.

[4] The nominate subspecies of white-chinned jacamar is found east of the Andes from Colombia's Meta Department southeast through Ecuador's Napo Province and Peru's Department of Loreto into western Brazil south of the Amazon River as far as the tonantins area of Amazonas state.

[4] The white-chinned jacamar inhabits shrubby borders and openings in terra firme, várzea, and gallery forest.

[4] Though the white-chinned jacamar's diet is assumed to include a variety of insects, only Hymenoptera have been recorded.