Purple-backed Thornbill (Ramphomicron microrhynchum)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Purple-backed Thornbill

Ramphomicron microrhynchum (Boissonneau, 1840)

3.6 gWeight

The purple-backed thornbill (Ramphomicron microrhynchum) is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae.

Busiest months: November · Most records: Colombia, Ecuador, Peru

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: November · Most records: Colombia, Ecuador, Peru

Purple-backed Thornbill has been recorded at 50 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 3 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Hotel Termales del RuízColombia950 records
  2. Hacienda El BosqueColombia765 records
  3. Reserva Ecológica Río Blanco – LodgeColombia659 records
More places
  1. Reserva YanacochaEcuador627 records
  2. Finca CortaderalColombia574 records
  3. Giles Fuertesi Proaves ReserveColombia318 records
  4. Reserva Zuro LomaEcuador281 records
  5. Bosque de San Carlos/La VirginiaColombia159 records
  6. Guango LodgeEcuador144 records
  7. Papallacta – hot springs and road to Cayambe-CocaEcuador107 records

Countries and regions with the most records

ColombiaEcuadorPeru

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 purple-backed thornbill (Ramphomicron microrhynchum) is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.

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

Questions

How big is the Purple-backed Thornbill?

The Purple-backed Thornbill weighs around 3.6 g.

Where does the Purple-backed Thornbill live?

Its breeding range: South America: northern Venezuela to Bolivia. It is most often recorded in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru.

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

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

Is the Purple-backed Thornbill endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Purple-backed Thornbill as Least Concern.

What does the Purple-backed Thornbill eat?

Main food: Nectar.

What family is the Purple-backed Thornbill in?

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

At a glance

Weight
3.6 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Nectar
Lifestyle
Feeds in the air
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
51 mm
Tail
42 mm
Bill
11 mm
Tarsus
6 mm

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

Range

South America: northern Venezuela to Bolivia

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Hummingbirds Trochilidae
Genus
Ramphomicron

Other birds in the genus Ramphomicron

Black-backed ThornbillBlack-backed ThornbillRamphomicron dorsaleCrimson 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
Purple-backed Thornbill

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

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