Photo: Zieger M / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-bellied Thorntail
Discosura langsdorffi
Black-bellied Thorntail (Discosura langsdorffi) — Hummingbirds of South America.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-bellied Thorntail (Discosura langsdorffi) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 2.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Apodiformes
- Family Trochilidae Hummingbirds
- Genus Discosura
- Species langsdorffi
Quick facts
- Weight
- 2.8 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-bellied Thorntail is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Black-bellied Thorntail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-bellied Thorntail (Discosura langsdorffi) is a species of bird in the Trochilidae family, part of the order Apodiformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA w Amazonia and se Brazil.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 2.8 g, with a wing length of about 3.5 cm and a tail of around 6.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 2 million km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-bellied Thorntail?
The Black-bellied Thorntail is a very small bird that weighs around 2.8 g.
Where does the Black-bellied Thorntail live?
The Black-bellied Thorntail is found across South America with a range covering SA w Amazonia and se Brazil, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Black-bellied Thorntail belong to?
The Black-bellied Thorntail (Discosura langsdorffi) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Black-bellied Thorntail eat?
The Black-bellied Thorntail is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Black-bellied Thorntail migrate?
The Black-bellied Thorntail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-bellied Thorntail endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
How large is the Black-bellied Thorntail's range?
The Black-bellied Thorntail has a mapped global range of about 2 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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Guides for this bird
Best Hummingbird Feeders
How to choose a hummingbird feeder — the two main styles compared, the right sugar-water mix, and how to keep it clean so the birds stay safe. A decision framework with the hummingbird species in the Birbs encyclopedia.
Meet the Trochilidae
A field guide to the Trochilidae family — 366 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.