Black-backed Thornbill (Ramphomicron dorsale)
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Black-backed Thornbill

Ramphomicron dorsale Salvin & Godman, 1880

3.5 gWeight

The black-backed thornbill (Ramphomicron dorsale) is a Near Threatened species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae.

Busiest months: January–February · Most records: Colombia

Near Threatened

Where and when it's recorded

Black-backed Thornbill has been recorded at 4 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Cuchilla San LorenzoColombia394 records
  2. RNA Proaves El Dorado – LodgeColombia184 records
  3. El Dorado ProAves ReserveColombia173 records
More places
  1. Bellavista – VeredaColombia1 record

Countries and regions with the most records

Colombia

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The black-backed thornbill (Ramphomicron dorsale) is a Near Threatened species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is endemic to the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta of northern Colombia.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Black-backed Thornbill?

The Black-backed Thornbill weighs around 3.5 g.

Where does the Black-backed Thornbill live?

Its breeding range: South America: northeastern Colombia. It is most often recorded in Colombia.

When is the best time to see the Black-backed Thornbill?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in January and February (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Black-backed Thornbill endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Black-backed Thornbill as Near Threatened.

What does the Black-backed Thornbill eat?

Main food: Nectar.

What family is the Black-backed Thornbill in?

It belongs to the family Hummingbirds (Trochilidae), order Apodiformes.

At a glance

Weight
3.5 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Nectar
Lifestyle
Varied
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Near Threatened
More measurements
Wing
55 mm
Tail
41 mm
Bill
13 mm
Tarsus
6 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

South America: northeastern Colombia

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Hummingbirds Trochilidae
Genus
Ramphomicron

Other birds in the genus Ramphomicron

Purple-backed ThornbillPurple-backed ThornbillRamphomicron microrhynchumCrimson TopazCrimson TopazTopaza pellaFiery TopazFiery TopazTopaza pyraWhite-necked JacobinWhite-necked JacobinFlorisuga mellivoraBlack JacobinBlack JacobinFlorisuga fuscaWhite-tipped SicklebillWhite-tipped SicklebillEutoxeres aquilaBuff-tailed SicklebillBuff-tailed SicklebillEutoxeres condaminiSaw-billed HermitSaw-billed HermitRamphodon naeviusHook-billed HermitHook-billed HermitGlaucis dohrniiBronzy HermitBronzy HermitGlaucis aeneus
Black-backed Thornbill

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Fundacion ProAves. ↗

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