Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
White-tailed Goldenthroat
Polytmus guainumbi
White-tailed Goldenthroat (Polytmus guainumbi) — Hummingbirds of South America.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The White-tailed Goldenthroat (Polytmus guainumbi) is a member of the Trochilidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 5.2 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 Apodiformes
- Family Trochilidae Hummingbirds
- Genus Polytmus
- Species guainumbi
Quick facts
- Weight
- 5.2 g
- Diet
- Nectar-feeders
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The White-tailed Goldenthroat is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it is highly aerial, spending much of its time on the wing.
Migration
The White-tailed Goldenthroat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The White-tailed Goldenthroat (Polytmus guainumbi) is a species of bird in the Trochilidae family, part of the order Apodiformes. Its range spans South America. Its distribution covers SA n, ne, se.
It is a very small bird. Adults weighs around 5.2 g, with a wing length of about 5.9 cm and a tail of around 4 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 4.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the White-tailed Goldenthroat?
The White-tailed Goldenthroat is a very small bird that weighs around 5.2 g.
Where does the White-tailed Goldenthroat live?
The White-tailed Goldenthroat is found across South America with a range covering SA n, ne, se, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the White-tailed Goldenthroat belong to?
The White-tailed Goldenthroat (Polytmus guainumbi) belongs to the Trochilidae family, in the order Apodiformes.
What does the White-tailed Goldenthroat eat?
The White-tailed Goldenthroat is a nectarivore — it feeds mainly on nectar.
Does the White-tailed Goldenthroat migrate?
The White-tailed Goldenthroat is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the White-tailed Goldenthroat 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 White-tailed Goldenthroat make?
1 real field recording of the White-tailed Goldenthroat can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the White-tailed Goldenthroat's range?
The White-tailed Goldenthroat has a mapped global range of about 4.8 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.
Explore more birds
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Guides for this bird
Best Hummingbird Feeders
How to choose a hummingbird feeder — the two main styles compared, the right sugar-water mix, and how to keep it clean so the birds stay safe. A decision framework with the hummingbird species in the Birbs encyclopedia.
Meet the Trochilidae
A field guide to the Trochilidae family — 366 species in the Birbs encyclopedia, with the best-known members to start with.