Rufous-capped Thornbill

Rufous-capped Thornbill

Chalcostigma ruficeps

Silhouette: Ferran Sayol · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Podocarpus National Park
155 Verified sightings at Podocarpus National Park From 2019 to 2026
204 Verified sightings across all 3 parks From 2019 to 2026
January Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Rufous-capped Thornbill

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. The taxonomy of genus Chalcostigma and of the rufous-capped thornbill in particular are unsettled. The South American Classification Committee (SACC) of the American Ornithological Society is considering a proposal to merge the genus into Oxypogon. The species was for a time placed in genus Metallura with the Perijá metaltail (M. iracunda) and also has been assigned its own genus, Selatopogon. The rufous-capped thornbill is monotypic.

The rufous-capped thornbill is about 10.5 cm (4.1 in) long and weighs 3.3 to 3.9 g (0.12 to 0.14 oz). Both sexes have a very short black bill. The male's crown is mahogany red and the rest of the upperparts bottle green. It has a narrow emerald green gorget with a border of various shades of yellow. Its underparts are rufous with green mottling that is strongest on the flanks. The tail is dull olive green. The female's upperparts including the crown are bottle green. Its throat and breast are ochre-orange with olive green dots... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Podocarpus National Park 🇪🇨 Ecuador
~10%
2 Manu National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
<5%
3 Cordillera Azul National Park 🇵🇪 Peru
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Rufous-capped Thornbill in Podocarpus National Park?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Rufous-capped Thornbill sighting in Podocarpus National Park, based on 155 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Rufous-capped Thornbill in Podocarpus National Park?

January has the highest sighting rate for Rufous-capped Thornbill in Podocarpus National Park in our monthly data.

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