Photo: Neil Orlando Diaz Martinez from Bogotá D.C., Colombia / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Bronze-tailed Thornbill
Chalcostigma heteropogon
Bronze-tailed Thornbill (Chalcostigma heteropogon) — Hummingbirds of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Bronze-tailed Thornbill (Chalcostigma heteropogon) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 6.1 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 Apodiformes
- Family Trochilidae Hummingbirds
- Genus Chalcostigma
- Species heteropogon
Quick facts
- Weight
- 6.1 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Bronze-tailed Thornbill is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Bronze-tailed Thornbill is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Bronze-tailed Thornbill (Chalcostigma heteropogon) belongs to the Trochilidae family of the order Apodiformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA w Venezuela and e Colombia.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 6.1 g, with a wing length of about 7.1 cm and a tail of around 5.8 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 29,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Bronze-tailed Thornbill?
The Bronze-tailed Thornbill is a very small bird that weighs around 6.1 g.
Where does the Bronze-tailed Thornbill live?
The Bronze-tailed Thornbill is found across South America with a range covering SA w Venezuela and e Colombia, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Bronze-tailed Thornbill belong to?
The Bronze-tailed Thornbill (Chalcostigma heteropogon) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Bronze-tailed Thornbill eat?
The Bronze-tailed Thornbill is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Bronze-tailed Thornbill migrate?
The Bronze-tailed Thornbill is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Bronze-tailed Thornbill 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 Bronze-tailed Thornbill make?
1 real field recording of the Bronze-tailed Thornbill — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Bronze-tailed Thornbill's range?
The Bronze-tailed Thornbill has a mapped global range of about 29,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
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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.
Meet the Trochilidae
A field guide to the Trochilidae family — 366 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.