Photo: thibaudaronson / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Marvelous Spatuletail
Loddigesia mirabilis
Marvelous Spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis) — 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 Marvelous Spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 3 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Apodiformes
- Family Trochilidae Hummingbirds
- Genus Loddigesia
- Species mirabilis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 3 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 Marvelous Spatuletail is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Marvelous Spatuletail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Marvelous Spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis) is a species of bird in the Trochilidae family, part of the order Apodiformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA n Peru.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 3 g, with a wing length of about 4.2 cm and a tail of around 9.2 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 1,773 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Marvelous Spatuletail?
The Marvelous Spatuletail is a very small bird that weighs around 3 g.
Where does the Marvelous Spatuletail live?
The Marvelous Spatuletail is found across South America with a range covering SA n Peru, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Marvelous Spatuletail belong to?
The Marvelous Spatuletail (Loddigesia mirabilis) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Marvelous Spatuletail eat?
The Marvelous Spatuletail is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Marvelous Spatuletail migrate?
The Marvelous Spatuletail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Marvelous Spatuletail endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Marvelous Spatuletail make?
1 real field recording of the Marvelous Spatuletail — 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 Marvelous Spatuletail's range?
The Marvelous Spatuletail has a mapped global range of about 1,773 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.