Long-billed Hermit (Phaethornis longirostris)

Identification & Behavior: ~16 cm (6.3 in). The Long-billed Hermit is mainly dull brownish green above with a gray and buff scaled rump. It has a dark mask through the eye, bordered above and below with whitish-buff stripes. It shows a central pale stripe on the throat. The underparts are pale greyish-buff in color. The bill is very long and decurved, with a red lower mandible. The central feathers of the tapered tail are long and white-tipped. The Long-billed Hermit does overlap with the very similar Great-billed Hermit of the Eastern Amazonian lowlands. The only other hermit in its range is the Gray-chinned Hermit, which is smaller a has warmer coloration.

Status: The Long-billed Hermit is uncommon in the semi-deciduous forest of extreme northwest Peru in Tumbes. It also occurs in Co and Ec.

Name in Spanish: Ermitaño de Pico Largo.

Sub-species: Long-billed Hermit (Phaethornis  longirostris baroni), E. Hartert 1897.

Meaning of Name: Phaethornis: Gr. Phao= sun, sunshine, and ornis= bird. longirostris: L. longus= long and rostris, rostrum= beck, billed.

See more of the Family Trochilidae