Photo: David F. Belmonte / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-throated Thistletail
Asthenes harterti
Black-throated Thistletail (Asthenes harterti) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
The Black-throated Thistletail (Asthenes harterti) is a member of the Furnariidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 12.9 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 Furnariidae Ovenbirds
- Genus Asthenes
- Species harterti
Quick facts
- Weight
- 12.9 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Furnariidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-throated Thistletail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Black-throated Thistletail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-throated Thistletail (Asthenes harterti) is a species of bird in the Furnariidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA n, c Bolivia.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 12.9 g, with a wing length of about 5.2 cm and a tail of around 10.1 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 24,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-throated Thistletail?
The Black-throated Thistletail is a very small bird that weighs around 12.9 g.
Where does the Black-throated Thistletail live?
The Black-throated Thistletail is found across South America with a range covering SA n, c Bolivia, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Black-throated Thistletail belong to?
The Black-throated Thistletail (Asthenes harterti) belongs to the Furnariidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black-throated Thistletail eat?
The Black-throated Thistletail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black-throated Thistletail migrate?
The Black-throated Thistletail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-throated Thistletail 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-throated Thistletail make?
1 real field recording of the Black-throated Thistletail — 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-throated Thistletail's range?
The Black-throated Thistletail has a mapped global range of about 24,000 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 Furnariidae
A field guide to the Furnariidae family — 321 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.