Photo: John Gerrard Keulemans / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Rufous-winged Tyrannulet
Mecocerculus calopterus
Rufous-winged Tyrannulet (Mecocerculus calopterus) — 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-winged Tyrannulet (Mecocerculus calopterus) is a member of the Tyrannidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 7 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 Tyrannidae Tyrant Flycatchers, Calyptura
- Genus Mecocerculus
- Species calopterus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 7 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Rufous-winged Tyrannulet 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-winged Tyrannulet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Rufous-winged Tyrannulet (Mecocerculus calopterus) is a species of bird in the Tyrannidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA Ecuador, Peru.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 7 g, with a wing length of about 5.1 cm and a tail of around 4.6 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 59,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Rufous-winged Tyrannulet?
The Rufous-winged Tyrannulet is a very small bird that weighs around 7 g.
Where does the Rufous-winged Tyrannulet live?
The Rufous-winged Tyrannulet is found across South America with a range covering SA Ecuador, Peru, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Rufous-winged Tyrannulet belong to?
The Rufous-winged Tyrannulet (Mecocerculus calopterus) belongs to the Tyrannidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Rufous-winged Tyrannulet eat?
The Rufous-winged Tyrannulet is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Rufous-winged Tyrannulet migrate?
The Rufous-winged Tyrannulet is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Rufous-winged Tyrannulet 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-winged Tyrannulet make?
1 real field recording of the Rufous-winged Tyrannulet — 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-winged Tyrannulet's range?
The Rufous-winged Tyrannulet has a mapped global range of about 59,000 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
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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 Tyrannidae
A field guide to the Tyrannidae family — 444 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.