Photo: Joseph Wolf / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-eared Hemispingus
Sphenopsis melanotis
Black-eared Hemispingus (Sphenopsis melanotis) — 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 Black-eared Hemispingus (Sphenopsis melanotis) is a member of the Thraupidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 16 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 Thraupidae Tanagers & Allies
- Genus Sphenopsis
- Species melanotis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 16 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-eared Hemispingus is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Black-eared Hemispingus is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-eared Hemispingus (Sphenopsis melanotis) is a member of the Thraupidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA w Venezuela to wc Bolivia.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 16 g, with a wing length of about 6.9 cm and a tail of around 6.4 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 184,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-eared Hemispingus?
The Black-eared Hemispingus is a small bird that weighs around 16 g.
Where does the Black-eared Hemispingus live?
The Black-eared Hemispingus is found across South America with a range covering SA w Venezuela to wc Bolivia, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Black-eared Hemispingus belong to?
The Black-eared Hemispingus (Sphenopsis melanotis) belongs to the Thraupidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black-eared Hemispingus eat?
The Black-eared Hemispingus is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black-eared Hemispingus migrate?
The Black-eared Hemispingus is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-eared Hemispingus 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 Black-eared Hemispingus make?
1 real field recording of the Black-eared Hemispingus — 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 Black-eared Hemispingus's range?
The Black-eared Hemispingus has a mapped global range of about 184,000 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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A field guide to the Thraupidae family — 394 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.