Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Plumbeous Tyrant
Knipolegus cabanisi
Plumbeous Tyrant (Knipolegus cabanisi) — 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 Plumbeous Tyrant (Knipolegus cabanisi) is a member of the Tyrannidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 17.8 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 Knipolegus
- Species cabanisi
Quick facts
- Weight
- 17.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Plumbeous Tyrant 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 Plumbeous Tyrant is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Plumbeous Tyrant (Knipolegus cabanisi) is a member of the Tyrannidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA se Peru, w Bolivia and nw Argentina.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 17.8 g, with a wing length of about 7.9 cm and a tail of around 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.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 100,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Plumbeous Tyrant?
The Plumbeous Tyrant is a small bird that weighs around 17.8 g.
Where does the Plumbeous Tyrant live?
The Plumbeous Tyrant is found across South America with a range covering SA se Peru, w Bolivia and nw Argentina, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Plumbeous Tyrant belong to?
The Plumbeous Tyrant (Knipolegus cabanisi) belongs to the Tyrannidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Plumbeous Tyrant eat?
The Plumbeous Tyrant is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Plumbeous Tyrant migrate?
The Plumbeous Tyrant is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Plumbeous 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 Plumbeous Tyrant make?
1 real field recording of the Plumbeous 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 Plumbeous Tyrant's range?
The Plumbeous Tyrant has a mapped global range of about 100,000 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.