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.

识别特征

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.

分类信息

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.

学名
Phaethornis superciliosus
命名信息
(Linnaeus, 1766)
Apodiformes
Trochilidae
Phaethornis

分布与栖息地

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.

迁徙
Resident species

行为

The food of this species is nectar, taken from large flowers, such as Heliconias, gingers and passion flowers, and small insects and spiders taken as an essential source of protein. Hatchlings are fed by the female with regurgitated invertebrates.<p>Long-tailed hermits are trap-line feeders; they do not defend territory, but visit seasonal flowers on routes through the forest up to 1 km long.

保护状况

种群趋势
declining

照片

分布

鸟叫声

其他鸟类

Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler

Taiwan Scimitar-Babbler

Pomatorhinus musicus

Medium-sized, strikingly patterned songbird endemic to Taiwan, where fairly common. Brown above, white below, with white supercilium, black mask, and heavy black spots on the breast. Downcurved bill is black above and pale below. Inhabits forests from the lowlands up into montane regions, moving through dense vegetation in small parties. Gives a range of different calls, including hoots and loud grating notes.

Cameroon Indigobird

Cameroon Indigobird

Vidua camerunensis

A nest parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of African and Black-bellied Firefinches and Brown and Dybowski's Twinspots. Breeding males are glossy black with blue iridescence and a pale brownish panel in the wings. Females and non-breeding males are streaky and brown on the back and pale below, with a bold facial pattern. The bill is whitish and the legs very pale purplish. Found locally in lush woodland, savanna, and cultivated areas. Given current knowledge, can only be confidently identified by mimicked vocalizations. Each male parasitizes only one of the four host species and imitates its vocalizations, often mixing them into a scratchy jumble of high-pitched notes. 

Spruce Grouse

Spruce Grouse

Canachites canadensis

Quiet and inconspicuous in coniferous forests, especially where moss covers the ground. Typically seen on ground or along roadsides, but can perch fairly high in trees. On male, look for red eyebrow, dark chest, and bold white spotting on sides and belly. Female is browner and more intricately patterned; best distinguished from other grouse by short tail and strong bars and spots on underparts. Feeds mainly on conifer seeds. Often confiding, allowing good views. “Franklin’s” population, found from Idaho to British Columbia, might be a separate species. Tail pattern and male displays differ.

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