Photo: Charles J. Sharp / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-billed Streamertail
Trochilus polytmus
Red-billed Streamertail (Trochilus polytmus) — Hummingbirds of North America.
The Red-billed Streamertail (Trochilus polytmus) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 4.8 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 Trochilus
- Species polytmus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 4.8 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-billed Streamertail 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 Red-billed Streamertail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Red-billed Streamertail (Trochilus polytmus) belongs to the Trochilidae family of the order Apodiformes. It occurs naturally across North America. Its distribution covers NA Jamaica (except extreme ne).
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 4.8 g, with a wing length of about 6.2 cm and a tail of around 4.1 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 10,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-billed Streamertail?
The Red-billed Streamertail is a very small bird that weighs around 4.8 g.
Where does the Red-billed Streamertail live?
The Red-billed Streamertail is found across North America with a range covering NA Jamaica (except extreme ne), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Red-billed Streamertail belong to?
The Red-billed Streamertail (Trochilus polytmus) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the Red-billed Streamertail eat?
The Red-billed Streamertail is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the Red-billed Streamertail migrate?
The Red-billed Streamertail is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Red-billed Streamertail 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 Red-billed Streamertail make?
1 real field recording of the Red-billed Streamertail — 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 Red-billed Streamertail's range?
The Red-billed Streamertail has a mapped global range of about 10,000 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.