Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Little Thornbird
Phacellodomus sibilatrix
Little Thornbird (Phacellodomus sibilatrix) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Little Thornbird (Phacellodomus sibilatrix) is a member of the Furnariidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 15.5 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 Phacellodomus
- Species sibilatrix
Where it lives
Southern Bolivia and northern Paraguay to cw Uruguay and central, eastern Argentina
Quick facts
- Weight
- 15.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Furnariidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Little Thornbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it uses a wide range of foraging strategies.
Migration
The Little Thornbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Little Thornbird (Phacellodomus sibilatrix) belongs to the Furnariidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA s Bolivia and n Paraguay to cw Uruguay and c, e Argentina.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 15.5 g, with a wing length of about 5.6 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.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Little Thornbird?
The Little Thornbird is a small bird that weighs around 15.5 g.
Where does the Little Thornbird live?
The Little Thornbird is found across South America with a range covering SA s Bolivia and n Paraguay to cw Uruguay and c, e Argentina, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Little Thornbird belong to?
The Little Thornbird (Phacellodomus sibilatrix) belongs to the Furnariidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Little Thornbird eat?
The Little Thornbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Little Thornbird migrate?
The Little Thornbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Little Thornbird 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 Little Thornbird make?
1 real field recording of the Little Thornbird — 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 Little Thornbird's range?
The Little Thornbird has a mapped global range of about 1.2 million 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.