Long-tailed Hermit
Phaethornis superciliosus
Common, medium-sized mostly brown hummingbird of rainforest understory; also occurs in secondary forests. Moves constantly among widely separated patches of flowers, pausing en route to investigate brightly colored objects, including clothing. Typical call is a loud, single squeak, given as birds move between foraging spots. Displaying males occupy low perches and give a long series of squeaks while pumping their tails. Similar to several other hermits in general appearance and behavior; note lack of white tips on outer tail feathers, curved bill, and generally brownish coloration without strong facial markings.
Identification
The adult long-tailed hermit is mainly dull brownish green above with a buff-tinged rump. It has a dark mask through the eye, bordered above and below with whitish-buff stripes. The underparts are pale greyish-buff in colour. The sexes are similar, although the female is slightly smaller. It is the largest of hermit hummingbirds, with a length of around 15 cm (5.9 in) and a body mass of 6.3 g (0.22 oz).<p>During the breeding season, male long-tailed hermits sing in communal leks of up to several dozen birds, and also wiggle their long tails in display. Competitive lek singing can occupy half of the daylight hours, the purpose of course being to attract females. The female selects the best lek singer to mate with. The song consists of sharp tsuk sounds.<p>The female long-tailed hermit is solely responsible for nest construction, incubation and feeding the young. She lays two white eggs in a conical nest of fibres and cobwebs suspended under a large Heliconia or banana leaf.
Taxonomy
The long-tailed hermit was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1766 in the twelfth edition of his Systema Naturae under the binomial name Trochilus superciliosus. Linnaeus based his description on the "colibry à longue queue de Cayenne" that had been described and illustrated in 1760 by the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson. The specific epithet is from Latin superciliosa meaning "eye-browed". The long-tailed hermit is now the type species of the genus Phaethornis that was introduced in 1827 by William Swainson.<p>Two subspecies are recognised:<p>The taxonomic history of this group is complicated, with similar hermit populations from both sides of the Andes being originally classed as a single long-tailed hermit species. The western population was then split as the western long-tailed hermit, P. longirostris, leading to the renaming of P. superciliosus as eastern long-tailed hermit. The further renaming of P. longirostris as long-billed hermit means that P. superciliosus no longer needs "eastern" in its English name.<p>A further problem relates to the taxonomy of the long-tailed hermit versus the great-billed hermit (P. malaris). Most taxa previously consider subspecies of the former (insolitus, moorei, ochraceiventris, bolivianus and margarettae) are now considered subspecies of the latter. A satisfactory taxonomic treatment of the entire P. longirostris/P. superciliosus/P. malaris group is still lacking according to some Neotropical ornithologists.
- Scientific name
- Phaethornis superciliosus
- Authority
- (Linnaeus, 1766)
- Order
- Apodiformes
- Family
- Trochilidae
- Genus
- Phaethornis
Range and habitat
The long-tailed hermit inhabits forest undergrowth, usually near water and its preferred food plants. It is 13.5 cm long and weighs 4-6 g. The bill is very long and decurved (3.6-4.3 cm), with a red tipped black lower mandible, and the central feathers of the tapered tail are long (6.3-6.8 cm) and white-tipped.
- Migration
- Resident species
Behavior
Migration pattern: Resident species.
Conservation
Population trend: declining.
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Ochre-throated Foliage-gleaner
Automolus ochrolaemus
Skulking and generally inconspicuous brown bird of humid tropical forest. Found as singles or pairs, clambering in vine tangles or other dense understory, at times in leaf litter on the forest floor; usually difficult to see clearly. Note the rich buffy throat, conspicuous buffy eyebrow and eyering, and rusty tail on an otherwise plain dark brownish bird. Song is a descending series of nasal notes, speeding up and often sputtering at the end. Occurs from central Panama (where approaches the range of Fawn-throated Foliage-gleaner, and best distinguished by voice) throughout much of northern South America, to central Brazil.
Wallace's Fruit-Dove
Ptilinopus wallacii
A large fruit dove of forest on islands. Distinctive looking with gray neck and chest, dark red cap, and orange belly with white chest band. Travels in small flocks in search of fruiting trees in which it forages actively. Similar to Rose-crowned Fruit-Dove, although the race that coincides has no rose-crown. Wallace’s Fruit-Dove differs in having an obvious white chest band. Typical of fruit doves, it leans forward and puffs out its chest when vocalizing. Call, a descending “wooo”.
White-bibbed Babbler
Stachyris thoracica
Handsome and well-named large babbler with a snow-white “bib.” Also note blue facial skin and bright chestnut back. Crown is brownish on birds from western Java, and grayish on those from central and eastern Java. Despite large size and bright colors, can be quite skulky and difficult to see well. Hops and clambers about in dense bushes and vines in foothill forests, typically in mid-sized groups, giving dry churring rattles. Also gives a short, fluty-sounding whistle.
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