Photo: Michael Woodruff from Spokane, Washington, USA / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Brown Inca
Coeligena wilsoni
Brown Inca (Coeligena wilsoni) — Hummingbirds of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Brown Inca (Coeligena wilsoni) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 6.7 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 Coeligena
- Species wilsoni
Quick facts
- Weight
- 6.7 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Endangered
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Brown Inca 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 Brown Inca is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Brown Inca (Coeligena wilsoni) belongs to the Trochilidae family of the order Apodiformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA w Colombia to w Ecuador.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 6.7 g, with a wing length of about 7.1 cm and a tail of around 4.6 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 34,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Brown Inca?
The Brown Inca is a very small bird that weighs around 6.7 g.
Where does the Brown Inca live?
The Brown Inca is found across South America with a range covering SA w Colombia to w Ecuador, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Brown Inca belong to?
The Brown Inca (Coeligena wilsoni) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Brown Inca eat?
The Brown Inca is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Brown Inca migrate?
The Brown Inca is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Brown Inca 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 Brown Inca make?
1 real field recording of the Brown Inca — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Brown Inca's range?
The Brown Inca has a mapped global range of about 34,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
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Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
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Least Concern
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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.