Rufous-capped Thornbill (Chalcostigma ruficeps)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Rufous-capped Thornbill

Chalcostigma ruficeps (Gould, 1846)

3.4 gWeight

The rufous-capped thornbill (Chalcostigma ruficeps) is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae.

Busiest months: September–October · Most records: Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Rufous-capped Thornbill has been recorded at 21 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 3 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Reserva Tapichalaca y Casa SimpsonEcuador380 records
  2. Wayqecha Cloud Forest Birding LodgePeru280 records
  3. Wayqecha Cloud Forest Biological StationPeru134 records
More places
  1. Carretera a Manú – Túneles PillahuataPeru96 records
  2. Trocha Cresta de San LorenzoPeru82 records
  3. Chuspipata – upper Old Coroico Rd.Bolivia39 records
  4. Old Coroico Rd.Bolivia38 records
  5. ACP Abra Patricia – Owlet LodgePeru28 records
  6. Santuario Historico Machu Picchu – Machu Picchu Ruinas (Valqui B3.2)Peru20 records
  7. Cock-of-the-Rock Lodge & Manu Paradise LodgePeru18 records

Countries and regions with the most records

PeruEcuadorBolivia

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 rufous-capped thornbill (Chalcostigma ruficeps) is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru.

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

Questions

How big is the Rufous-capped Thornbill?

The Rufous-capped Thornbill weighs around 3.4 g.

Where does the Rufous-capped Thornbill live?

Its breeding range: South America: southeastern Ecuador to west-central Bolivia. It is most often recorded in Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia.

When is the best time to see the Rufous-capped Thornbill?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in September and October (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Rufous-capped Thornbill endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Rufous-capped Thornbill as Least Concern.

What does the Rufous-capped Thornbill eat?

Main food: Nectar.

What family is the Rufous-capped Thornbill in?

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

At a glance

Weight
3.4 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Nectar
Lifestyle
Feeds in the air
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
58 mm
Tail
42 mm
Bill
16 mm
Tarsus
5 mm

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

Range

South America: southeastern Ecuador to west-central Bolivia

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Hummingbirds Trochilidae
Genus
Chalcostigma

Other birds in the genus Chalcostigma

Bronze-tailed ThornbillBronze-tailed ThornbillChalcostigma heteropogonRainbow-bearded ThornbillRainbow-bearded ThornbillChalcostigma herraniOlivaceous ThornbillOlivaceous ThornbillChalcostigma olivaceumBlue-mantled ThornbillBlue-mantled ThornbillChalcostigma stanleyiCrimson TopazCrimson TopazTopaza pellaFiery TopazFiery TopazTopaza pyraWhite-necked JacobinWhite-necked JacobinFlorisuga mellivoraBlack JacobinBlack JacobinFlorisuga fuscaWhite-tipped SicklebillWhite-tipped SicklebillEutoxeres aquilaBuff-tailed SicklebillBuff-tailed SicklebillEutoxeres condamini
Rufous-capped Thornbill

Download illustration

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

WebP · 1070 px

Heard it but can't see it? Mingji identifies birds by sound and photo, on your phone.

In other languages