Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Helmeted Pygmy Tyrant
Lophotriccus galeatus
Helmeted Pygmy Tyrant (Lophotriccus galeatus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Helmeted Pygmy Tyrant (Lophotriccus galeatus) is a member of the Tyrannidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 6.6 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 Passeriformes
- Family Tyrannidae Tyrant Flycatchers, Calyptura
- Genus Lophotriccus
- Species galeatus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 6.6 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Urban & human-modified
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Helmeted Pygmy Tyrant is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of farmland, parks and gardens, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Helmeted Pygmy Tyrant is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Helmeted Pygmy Tyrant (Lophotriccus galeatus) belongs to the Tyrannidae family of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA n, se Amazonia.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 6.6 g, with a wing length of about 4.3 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 2.9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Helmeted Pygmy Tyrant?
The Helmeted Pygmy Tyrant is a very small bird that weighs around 6.6 g.
Where does the Helmeted Pygmy Tyrant live?
The Helmeted Pygmy Tyrant is found across South America with a range covering SA n, se Amazonia, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.
What family does the Helmeted Pygmy Tyrant belong to?
The Helmeted Pygmy Tyrant (Lophotriccus galeatus) belongs to the Tyrannidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Helmeted Pygmy Tyrant eat?
The Helmeted Pygmy Tyrant is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Helmeted Pygmy Tyrant migrate?
The Helmeted Pygmy Tyrant is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Helmeted Pygmy Tyrant 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 Helmeted Pygmy Tyrant make?
1 real field recording of the Helmeted Pygmy Tyrant — 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 Helmeted Pygmy Tyrant's range?
The Helmeted Pygmy Tyrant has a mapped global range of about 2.9 million 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.