Photo: Miguel / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rufous-headed Tanager
Hemithraupis ruficapilla
Rufous-headed Tanager (Hemithraupis ruficapilla) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Rufous-headed Tanager (Hemithraupis ruficapilla) is a member of the Thraupidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 11 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 Thraupidae Tanagers & Allies
- Genus Hemithraupis
- Species ruficapilla
Quick facts
- Weight
- 11 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rufous-headed Tanager 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 Rufous-headed Tanager is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rufous-headed Tanager (Hemithraupis ruficapilla) is a member of the Thraupidae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA e, se Brazil.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 11 g, with a wing length of about 6.4 cm and a tail of around 4.9 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 649,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rufous-headed Tanager?
The Rufous-headed Tanager is a very small bird that weighs around 11 g.
Where does the Rufous-headed Tanager live?
The Rufous-headed Tanager is found across South America with a range covering SA e, se Brazil, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Rufous-headed Tanager belong to?
The Rufous-headed Tanager (Hemithraupis ruficapilla) belongs to the Thraupidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Rufous-headed Tanager eat?
The Rufous-headed Tanager is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Rufous-headed Tanager migrate?
The Rufous-headed Tanager is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rufous-headed Tanager 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 Rufous-headed Tanager make?
1 real field recording of the Rufous-headed Tanager — 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 Rufous-headed Tanager's range?
The Rufous-headed Tanager has a mapped global range of about 649,000 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 Thraupidae
A field guide to the Thraupidae family — 394 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.