Photo: Dominic Sherony / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Northern Bentbill
Oncostoma cinereigulare
Northern Bentbill (Oncostoma cinereigulare) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Northern Bentbill (Oncostoma cinereigulare) is a member of the Tyrannidae family found in Central America & Caribbean. Adults weigh 6.4 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 Tyrannidae Tyrant Flycatchers, Calyptura
- Genus Oncostoma
- Species cinereigulare
Quick facts
- Weight
- 6.4 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Northern Bentbill is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Northern Bentbill is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Northern Bentbill (Oncostoma cinereigulare) belongs to the Tyrannidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean. Its distribution covers MA s Mexico to Panama.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 6.4 g, with a wing length of about 4.9 cm and a tail of around 3.7 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 588,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Northern Bentbill?
The Northern Bentbill is a very small bird that weighs around 6.4 g.
Where does the Northern Bentbill live?
The Northern Bentbill is found across Central America & Caribbean with a range covering MA s Mexico to Panama, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Northern Bentbill belong to?
The Northern Bentbill (Oncostoma cinereigulare) belongs to the Tyrannidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Northern Bentbill eat?
The Northern Bentbill is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Northern Bentbill migrate?
The Northern Bentbill is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Northern Bentbill 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 Northern Bentbill make?
1 real field recording of the Northern Bentbill — 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 Northern Bentbill's range?
The Northern Bentbill has a mapped global range of about 588,000 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 Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
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 Tyrannidae
A field guide to the Tyrannidae family — 444 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.