Photo: Sebastian Herzog / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Plain Softtail
Thripophaga fusciceps
Plain Softtail (Thripophaga fusciceps) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Plain Softtail (Thripophaga fusciceps) is a member of the Furnariidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 23 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 Thripophaga
- Species fusciceps
Quick facts
- Weight
- 23 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Furnariidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Plain Softtail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Plain Softtail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Plain Softtail (Thripophaga fusciceps) is a member of the Furnariidae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA w, c Amazonia.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 23 g, with a wing length of about 7.7 cm and a tail of around 9.5 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 515,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Plain Softtail?
The Plain Softtail is a small bird that weighs around 23 g.
Where does the Plain Softtail live?
The Plain Softtail is found across South America with a range covering SA w, c Amazonia, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Plain Softtail belong to?
The Plain Softtail (Thripophaga fusciceps) belongs to the Furnariidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Plain Softtail eat?
The Plain Softtail is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Plain Softtail migrate?
The Plain Softtail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Plain Softtail 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 Plain Softtail make?
1 real field recording of the Plain Softtail — 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 Plain Softtail's range?
The Plain Softtail has a mapped global range of about 515,000 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 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.