Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Olivaceous Greenlet
Hylophilus olivaceus
Olivaceous Greenlet (Hylophilus olivaceus) — 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 Olivaceous Greenlet (Hylophilus olivaceus) is a member of the Vireonidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 12 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 Vireonidae Vireos, Greenlets, Shrike-babblers
- Genus Hylophilus
- Species olivaceus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 12 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Vireonidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Olivaceous Greenlet is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Olivaceous Greenlet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Olivaceous Greenlet (Hylophilus olivaceus) is a member of the Vireonidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA Ecuador and Peru.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 12 g, with a wing length of about 5.8 cm and a tail of around 5.1 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 86,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Olivaceous Greenlet?
The Olivaceous Greenlet is a very small bird that weighs around 12 g.
Where does the Olivaceous Greenlet live?
The Olivaceous Greenlet is found across South America with a range covering SA Ecuador and Peru, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Olivaceous Greenlet belong to?
The Olivaceous Greenlet (Hylophilus olivaceus) belongs to the Vireonidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Olivaceous Greenlet eat?
The Olivaceous Greenlet is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Olivaceous Greenlet migrate?
The Olivaceous Greenlet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Olivaceous Greenlet 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 Olivaceous Greenlet make?
1 real field recording of the Olivaceous Greenlet — 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 Olivaceous Greenlet's range?
The Olivaceous Greenlet has a mapped global range of about 86,000 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
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