Photo: Dario Sanches from São Paulo, Brasil / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rufous Hornero
Furnarius rufus
Rufous Hornero (Furnarius rufus) — 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 Rufous Hornero (Furnarius rufus) is a member of the Furnariidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 46.4 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 Passeriformes
- Family Furnariidae Ovenbirds
- Genus Furnarius
- Species rufus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 46.4 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Furnariidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rufous Hornero is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Rufous Hornero is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rufous Hornero (Furnarius rufus) is a species of bird in the Furnariidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It is found across South America. Its distribution covers SA e, sc, se.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 46.4 g, with a wing length of about 9.6 cm and a tail of around 6.7 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 6.2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rufous Hornero?
The Rufous Hornero is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 46.4 g.
Where does the Rufous Hornero live?
The Rufous Hornero is found across South America with a range covering SA e, sc, se, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Rufous Hornero belong to?
The Rufous Hornero (Furnarius rufus) belongs to the Furnariidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Rufous Hornero eat?
The Rufous Hornero is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Rufous Hornero migrate?
The Rufous Hornero is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rufous Hornero 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 Hornero make?
1 real field recording of the Rufous Hornero — 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 Rufous Hornero's range?
The Rufous Hornero has a mapped global range of about 6.2 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 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.