Trilling Gnatwren (Ramphocaenus melanurus)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Trilling Gnatwren

Ramphocaenus melanurus Vieillot, 1819

12–13 cmLength9.7 gWeight

The trilling gnatwren (Ramphocaenus melanurus), formerly long-billed gnatwren, is a very small bird in the gnatcatcher family.

Busiest months: March · Most records: Costa Rica, Panama, Belize

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Trilling Gnatwren has been recorded at 460 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 18 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. PN Carara-Entrada principal [senderos Quebrada Bonita y Universal]Costa Rica2,969 records
  2. Estación Biológica La Selva-OTSCosta Rica2,091 records
  3. Arenal Observatory LodgeCosta Rica1,688 records
More places
  1. Rancho NaturalistaCosta Rica1,685 records
  2. Black Rock LodgeBelize1,527 records
  3. Finca La GraciaGuatemala1,389 records
  4. Pipeline Road (Camino del Oleoducto)Panama1,288 records
  5. Parque Natural MetropolitanoPanama1,173 records
  6. Panama Rainforest Discovery CenterPanama1,044 records
  7. Raptor RidgeCosta Rica1,014 records

Countries and regions with the most records

Costa RicaPanamaBelizeBrazilGuatemalaColombiaVenezuelaMexico

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 trilling gnatwren (Ramphocaenus melanurus), formerly long-billed gnatwren, is a very small bird in the gnatcatcher family. It found from southeast Mexico south to Ecuador and Amazonia.

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

Questions

How big is the Trilling Gnatwren?

The Trilling Gnatwren is about 12–13 cm long and weighs around 9.7 g.

Where does the Trilling Gnatwren live?

Its breeding range: Middle America, South America: southeastern Mexico through Amazonia. It is most often recorded in Costa Rica, Panama and Belize.

When is the best time to see the Trilling Gnatwren?

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

Is the Trilling Gnatwren endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Trilling Gnatwren as Least Concern.

What does the Trilling Gnatwren eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Trilling Gnatwren in?

It belongs to the family Gnatcatchers (Polioptilidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Length
12–13 cm
Weight
9.7 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
50 mm
Tail
42 mm
Bill
24 mm
Tarsus
22 mm

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

Range

Middle America, South America: southeastern Mexico through Amazonia

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Gnatcatchers Polioptilidae
Genus
Ramphocaenus

Other birds in the genus Ramphocaenus

Chattering GnatwrenChattering GnatwrenRamphocaenus sticturusTawny-faced GnatwrenTawny-faced GnatwrenMicrobates cinereiventrisCollared GnatwrenCollared GnatwrenMicrobates collarisRio Negro GnatcatcherRio Negro GnatcatcherPolioptila facilisGuianan GnatcatcherGuianan GnatcatcherPolioptila guianensisSlate-throated GnatcatcherSlate-throated GnatcatcherPolioptila schistaceigulaPara GnatcatcherPara GnatcatcherPolioptila paraensisIquitos GnatcatcherIquitos GnatcatcherPolioptila clementsiInambari GnatcatcherInambari GnatcatcherPolioptila attenboroughiTropical GnatcatcherTropical GnatcatcherPolioptila plumbea
Trilling Gnatwren

Download illustration

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

WebP · 1070 px

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

In other languages