Photo: Stephen J Jones / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Racket-tipped Thorntail
Discosura longicaudus
Racket-tipped Thorntail (Discosura longicaudus) — 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 Racket-tipped Thorntail (Discosura longicaudus) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 3.4 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 longicaudus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 3.4 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Data Deficient
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Racket-tipped 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 Racket-tipped Thorntail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Racket-tipped Thorntail (Discosura longicaudus) belongs to the Trochilidae family of the order Apodiformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA c, s Venezuela, n, e Brazil and the Guianas.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 3.4 g, with a wing length of about 4.3 cm and a tail of around 3.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 2.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Racket-tipped Thorntail?
The Racket-tipped Thorntail is a very small bird that weighs around 3.4 g.
Where does the Racket-tipped Thorntail live?
The Racket-tipped Thorntail is found across South America with a range covering SA c, s Venezuela, n, e Brazil and the Guianas, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Racket-tipped Thorntail belong to?
The Racket-tipped Thorntail (Discosura longicaudus) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Racket-tipped Thorntail eat?
The Racket-tipped Thorntail is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Racket-tipped Thorntail migrate?
The Racket-tipped Thorntail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Racket-tipped 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 Racket-tipped Thorntail make?
1 real field recording of the Racket-tipped 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 Racket-tipped Thorntail's range?
The Racket-tipped Thorntail has a mapped global range of about 2.2 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 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.