Photo: Joseph Smit / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Slaty-backed Hemispingus
Poospiza goeringi
Slaty-backed Hemispingus (Poospiza goeringi) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South America.
The Slaty-backed Hemispingus (Poospiza goeringi) is a member of the Thraupidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 17.1 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Thraupidae Tanagers & Allies
- Genus Poospiza
- Species goeringi
Quick facts
- Weight
- 17.1 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Thraupidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Slaty-backed Hemispingus 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 Slaty-backed Hemispingus is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Slaty-backed Hemispingus (Poospiza goeringi) belongs to the Thraupidae family of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA sw Venezuela.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 17.1 g, with a wing length of about 6.4 cm and a tail of around 5.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 1,742 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Slaty-backed Hemispingus?
The Slaty-backed Hemispingus is a small bird that weighs around 17.1 g.
Where does the Slaty-backed Hemispingus live?
The Slaty-backed Hemispingus is found across South America with a range covering SA sw Venezuela, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Slaty-backed Hemispingus belong to?
The Slaty-backed Hemispingus (Poospiza goeringi) belongs to the Thraupidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Slaty-backed Hemispingus eat?
The Slaty-backed Hemispingus is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Slaty-backed Hemispingus migrate?
The Slaty-backed Hemispingus is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Slaty-backed Hemispingus endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
How large is the Slaty-backed Hemispingus's range?
The Slaty-backed Hemispingus has a mapped global range of about 1,742 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
Explore more birds
More in Thraupidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
More in Songbirds
Endangered
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
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.