Conirostrum rufum
The Rufous-browed Conebill, Conirostrum rufum, is a small, energetic passerine endemic to the northern Andes, belonging to the tanager family (Thraupidae), though its specialized bill gives it a distinctive appearance. Measuring approximately 10.5-11.5 cm (4.1-4.5 inches) in length, it is characterized by its dull brownish-olive upperparts, a prominent rusty-rufous supercilium (eyebrow) that extends from the lore to behind the eye, and whitish underparts often tinged with olive or buff. The s...
Found primarily in humid montane forests, cloud forests, and forest edges at elevations typically ranging from 1,800 to 3,000 meters (5,900 to 9,800 feet), occasionally descending lower. It prefers areas with abundant flowering plants.
Feeds primarily on nectar obtained by probing flowers with its specialized bill, supplemented by small insects, spiders, and occasionally tiny fruits gleaned from vegetation.
This active, diurnal species is often observed singly, in pairs, or, more frequently, as a key component of mixed-species foraging flocks, especially during the non-breeding season. Its foraging strategy is highly specialized, involving rapid probing of flowers for nectar and gleaning small insec...
The Rufous-browed Conebill is a resident, non-migratory species with a distribution confined to the northern Andes mountains of South America. Its primary range extends from the Andes of western Venezuela, through the Central and Eastern Andes of Colombia, and south along the Andes of Ecuador and...
Least Concern
- The Rufous-browed Conebill's common name comes from its distinct rufous supercilium and its conical, pointed bill, perfectly adapted for its nectarivorous diet. - Despite belonging to the tanager family, its foraging behavior and bill shape are more reminiscent of a specialized hummingbird or f...