Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Small-headed Elaenia
Elaenia sordida
Small-headed Elaenia (Elaenia sordida) — 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 Small-headed Elaenia (Elaenia sordida) is a member of the Tyrannidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 23.9 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 Elaenia
- Species sordida
Quick facts
- Weight
- 23.9 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Tyrannidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Small-headed Elaenia 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 Small-headed Elaenia is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Small-headed Elaenia (Elaenia sordida) is a species of bird in the Tyrannidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA se Brazil, e Paraguay and ne Argentina.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 23.9 g, with a wing length of about 8.7 cm and a tail of around 7.8 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 2 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Small-headed Elaenia?
The Small-headed Elaenia is a small bird that weighs around 23.9 g.
Where does the Small-headed Elaenia live?
The Small-headed Elaenia is found across South America with a range covering SA se Brazil, e Paraguay and ne Argentina, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Small-headed Elaenia belong to?
The Small-headed Elaenia (Elaenia sordida) belongs to the Tyrannidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Small-headed Elaenia eat?
The Small-headed Elaenia is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Small-headed Elaenia migrate?
The Small-headed Elaenia is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Small-headed Elaenia 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 Small-headed Elaenia make?
1 real field recording of the Small-headed Elaenia can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Small-headed Elaenia's range?
The Small-headed Elaenia has a mapped global range of about 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 Tyrannidae
A field guide to the Tyrannidae family — 444 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.