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Photo: Charles J. Sharp / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Black-tailed Trainbearer

Lesbia victoriae

Black-tailed Trainbearer (Lesbia victoriae) — Hummingbirds of South America.

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The Black-tailed Trainbearer (Lesbia victoriae) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

  1. Class Aves
  2. Order Apodiformes
  3. Family Trochilidae Hummingbirds
  4. Genus Lesbia
  5. Species victoriae

Where it lives

Northeastern Colombia to southeastern Peru

Quick facts

Weight
5 g
Family
Trochilidae
Order
Apodiformes
Habitat
Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Black-tailed Trainbearer is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.

Behaviour

A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.

Migration

The Black-tailed Trainbearer is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Black-tailed Trainbearer (Lesbia victoriae) is a species of bird in the Trochilidae family, part of the order Apodiformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA ne Colombia to se Peru.

It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 5 g, with a wing length of about 5.9 cm and a tail of around 9.2 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 197,000 km².

Songs & calls

Recorded by Manuel Sánchez-Nivicela Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Black-tailed Trainbearer?

The Black-tailed Trainbearer is a very small bird that weighs around 5 g.

Where does the Black-tailed Trainbearer live?

The Black-tailed Trainbearer is found across South America with a range covering SA ne Colombia to se Peru, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.

What family does the Black-tailed Trainbearer belong to?

The Black-tailed Trainbearer (Lesbia victoriae) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.

What does the Black-tailed Trainbearer eat?

The Black-tailed Trainbearer is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.

Does the Black-tailed Trainbearer migrate?

The Black-tailed Trainbearer is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Black-tailed Trainbearer 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-tailed Trainbearer make?

1 real field recording of the Black-tailed Trainbearer — 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-tailed Trainbearer's range?

The Black-tailed Trainbearer has a mapped global range of about 197,000 km².

Conservation

Least Concern

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 Hummingbird Feeders

How to choose a hummingbird feeder — the two main styles compared, the right sugar-water mix, and how to keep it clean so the birds stay safe. A decision framework with the hummingbird species in the Birbs encyclopedia.

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Meet the Trochilidae

A field guide to the Trochilidae family — 366 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.

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