Photo: Suemili / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Green-backed Firecrown
Sephanoides sephaniodes
Green-backed Firecrown (Sephanoides sephaniodes) — 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 Green-backed Firecrown (Sephanoides sephaniodes) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 5.2 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 Sephanoides
- Species sephaniodes
Quick facts
- Weight
- 5.2 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Urban & human-modified
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Green-backed Firecrown is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Behaviour
A bird of farmland, parks and gardens, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Green-backed Firecrown is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Green-backed Firecrown (Sephanoides sephaniodes) is a species of bird in the Trochilidae family, part of the order Apodiformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA c, s Chile and c, w Argentina.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 5.2 g, with a wing length of about 6 cm and a tail of around 3.7 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 554,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Green-backed Firecrown?
The Green-backed Firecrown is a very small bird that weighs around 5.2 g.
Where does the Green-backed Firecrown live?
The Green-backed Firecrown is found across South America with a range covering SA c, s Chile and c, w Argentina, where it adapts readily to towns, parks and gardens.
What family does the Green-backed Firecrown belong to?
The Green-backed Firecrown (Sephanoides sephaniodes) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Green-backed Firecrown eat?
The Green-backed Firecrown is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Green-backed Firecrown migrate?
The Green-backed Firecrown is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Green-backed Firecrown 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 Green-backed Firecrown make?
1 real field recording of the Green-backed Firecrown — 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 Green-backed Firecrown's range?
The Green-backed Firecrown has a mapped global range of about 554,000 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
More in Trochilidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
More in Hummingbirds
Least Concern
Critically Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
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.