Hypnelus is a genus of birds in the family Bucconidae. It contains 2 species of South American puffbirds. Some taxonomic authorities consider both species to be conspecific, together taking the name russet-throated puffbird.

Genus Hypnelus – Cabanis & Heine, 1863 – two species

Common name	Scientific name and subspecies	Range	Size and ecology	IUCN status and estimated population
Two-banded puffbird	Hypnelus bicinctus (Gould, 1837) Two subspecies H. b. bicinctus H. b. stoicus	eastern Colombia and Venezuela.	Size: Habitat: Diet:	LC
Russet-throated puffbird	Hypnelus ruficollis (Wagler, 1829) Four subspecies H. r. decolor H. r. ruficollis H. r. striaticollis H. r. coloratus	northeastern Colombia and northwestern Venezuela.	Size: Habitat: Diet:	LC

• Museum Heineanum, p. 143