Photo: Joseph Smit / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Fiery-throated Metaltail
Metallura eupogon
Fiery-throated Metaltail (Metallura eupogon) — Hummingbirds of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Fiery-throated Metaltail (Metallura eupogon) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 4.6 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 Metallura
- Species eupogon
Quick facts
- Weight
- 4.6 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Fiery-throated Metaltail is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Fiery-throated Metaltail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Fiery-throated Metaltail (Metallura eupogon) is a member of the Trochilidae family, within the order Apodiformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA Peru.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 4.6 g, with a wing length of about 6 cm and a tail of around 4.2 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 35,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Fiery-throated Metaltail?
The Fiery-throated Metaltail is a very small bird that weighs around 4.6 g.
Where does the Fiery-throated Metaltail live?
The Fiery-throated Metaltail is found across South America with a range covering SA Peru, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Fiery-throated Metaltail belong to?
The Fiery-throated Metaltail (Metallura eupogon) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Fiery-throated Metaltail eat?
The Fiery-throated Metaltail is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Fiery-throated Metaltail migrate?
The Fiery-throated Metaltail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Fiery-throated Metaltail endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Fiery-throated Metaltail make?
1 real field recording of the Fiery-throated Metaltail — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Fiery-throated Metaltail's range?
The Fiery-throated Metaltail has a mapped global range of about 35,000 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.