Hermits
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The Hermits are tropical hummingbirds in the subfamily Phaethornithinae, comprising about 34 species in six genera.
Description:
Their plumage typically involves greens, browns, rufous or grey. They lack the iridescent plumage of many other hummingbird species, and the male and female plumages of hermits are often very similar, only a few species showing the strong sexual dimorphism (visual physical differences between the sexes) usually associated with hummingbirds.
Hermits in the main genus, Phaethornis, have a long decurved bill with a red or yellow base to the lower beak, and their two central tail feathers are elongated and tipped with white. The crown of the head is flat, and two pale facial stripes enclose a dusky mask.
Breeding / Nesting:
Hermits usually form leks (competitive mating displays or dancing grounds) and congregate on traditional display grounds, where females visit to choose a mate. However, male hermits are less aggressively territorial than other male hummingbirds.
Diet / Feeding:
Hermits are closely associated with heliconias (heliconia is a genus of about 100 to 200 species of flowering plants native to the tropical Americas and the Pacific Ocean islands west to Indonesia). The flowers are an important food source accessible to the long decurved bill typical of this group of forest hummingbirds. Many species, including the Rufous-breasted Hermit, also use the plant for nesting, attaching their conical nest to the underside of one of the plant’s broad leaves.
Species
- White-whiskered Hermit, Phaethornis yaruqui
- Green Hermit, Phaethornis guy
- White-bearded Hermit, Phaethornis hispidus
- Long-billed Hermit, Phaethornis longirostris
- Long-tailed Hermit, Phaethornis superciliosus
- Great-billed Hermit, Phaethornis malaris
- Tawny-bellied Hermit, Phaethornis syrmatophorus
- Koepcke's Hermit, Phaethornis koepckeae
- Needle-billed Hermit, Phaethornis philippii
- Straight-billed Hermit, Phaethornis bourcieri
- Pale-bellied Hermit, Phaethornis anthophilus
- Scale-throated Hermit, Phaethornis eurynome
- Planalto Hermit, Phaethornis pretrei
- Sooty-capped Hermit, Phaethornis augusti
- Buff-bellied Hermit, Phaethornis subochraceus
- Dusky-throated Hermit, Phaethornis squalidus
- Streak-throated Hermit, Phaethornis rupurumii
- Little Hermit, Phaethornis longuemareus
- Minute Hermit, Phaethornis idaliae
- Cinnamon-throated Hermit, Phaethornis nattereri
- Reddish Hermit, Phaethornis ruber
- White-browed Hermit, Phaethornis stuarti
- Black-throated Hermit, Phaethornis atrimentalis
- Stripe-throated Hermit, Phaethornis striigularis
- Gray-chinned Hermit, Phaethornis griseogularis
- Saw-billed Hermit, Ramphodon naevius
- White-tipped Sicklebill , Eutoxeres aquila
- Buff-tailed Sicklebill, Eutoxeres condamini
- Hook-billed Hermit, Glaucis dohrnii
- Rufous-breasted Hermit, Glaucis hirsuta
- Bronzy Hermit, Glaucis aenea
- Band-tailed Barbthroat, Threnetes ruckeri
- Pale-tailed Barbthroat, Threnetes niger
- Broad-tipped Hermit, Anopetia gounellei
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