Vilcabamba Thistletail
Asthenes vilcabambae
Vilcabamba Thistletail (Asthenes vilcabambae) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Vilcabamba Thistletail (Asthenes vilcabambae) is a member of the Furnariidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 20.2 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 Passeriformes
- Family Furnariidae Ovenbirds
- Genus Asthenes
- Species vilcabambae
Quick facts
- Weight
- 20.2 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Furnariidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Vilcabamba Thistletail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Vilcabamba Thistletail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Vilcabamba Thistletail (Asthenes vilcabambae) belongs to the Furnariidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA Vilcabamba Mts. (sc Peru).
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 20.2 g, with a wing length of about 6.1 cm and a tail of around 9.9 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 13,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Vilcabamba Thistletail?
The Vilcabamba Thistletail is a small bird that weighs around 20.2 g.
Where does the Vilcabamba Thistletail live?
The Vilcabamba Thistletail is found across South America with a range covering SA Vilcabamba Mts. (sc Peru), where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Vilcabamba Thistletail belong to?
The Vilcabamba Thistletail (Asthenes vilcabambae) belongs to the Furnariidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Vilcabamba Thistletail eat?
The Vilcabamba Thistletail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Vilcabamba Thistletail migrate?
The Vilcabamba Thistletail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Vilcabamba Thistletail 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 Vilcabamba Thistletail make?
1 real field recording of the Vilcabamba Thistletail — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Vilcabamba Thistletail's range?
The Vilcabamba Thistletail has a mapped global range of about 13,000 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
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How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.
Meet the Furnariidae
A field guide to the Furnariidae family — 321 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.