Photo: Cephas / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Green Thorntail
Discosura conversii
Green Thorntail (Discosura conversii) — Hummingbirds of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Green Thorntail (Discosura conversii) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 3 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 Discosura
- Species conversii
Quick facts
- Weight
- 3 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Green Thorntail is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The Green Thorntail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Green Thorntail (Discosura conversii) is a species of bird in the Trochilidae family, part of the order Apodiformes. Its range spans Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA Costa Rica to w Ecuador.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 3 g, with a wing length of about 4.2 cm and a tail of around 4.2 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 133,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Green Thorntail?
The Green Thorntail is a very small bird that weighs around 3 g.
Where does the Green Thorntail live?
The Green Thorntail is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA Costa Rica to w Ecuador, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Green Thorntail belong to?
The Green Thorntail (Discosura conversii) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Green Thorntail eat?
The Green Thorntail is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Green Thorntail migrate?
The Green Thorntail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Green Thorntail 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 Thorntail make?
1 real field recording of the Green Thorntail — 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 Thorntail's range?
The Green Thorntail has a mapped global range of about 133,000 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 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.