Long-tailed Hermit Phaethornis superciliosus Scientific name definitions

The Long-tailed Hermit can be found in southern Venezuela, the Guianas and northern Brazil. Very similar in appearance to the Long-billed Hermit (P. longirostris) and the Great-billed Hermit (P. malaris), these medium sized hermit hummingbirds can be identified by the light ochracous bands on the longest feathers of the uppertail-coverts and their distinct gular stripe. Like most members of the subfamily Phaethornithinae the Long-tailed Hermit is an understory species. These birds can be found in lowland rainforest, forest edge, gallery forest and igapó and várzea forest. The diet of the Long-tailed Hermit consists of nectar and small arthropods. These hummingbirds are common throughout their range.

c. 14–15 cm (1 Grantsau, R. (1988). Os Beija-flores do Brasil. Expressão e Cultura, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Close ); 4–6 g. A medium-sized brownish hermit very similar to P. longirostris and P. malaris, but distinguished from the former by two pale ochraceous bands on the longest feathers of the uppertail-coverts , and from the latter, even in adult males, by a distinct gular stripe. Female has shorter wings, and a shorter, less decurved bill. Immature with light ochraceous feather margins on the upperparts. Race <em>muelleri</em> has darker throat and breast, and in both sexes less decurved bill than nominate.

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Understorey of lowland rainforest and adjacent semi-deciduous forest, forest edge, gallery forest, second growth, riverine habitats such as river edge, igapó and várzea forest. Recorded from sea-level to 1400 m in S Venezuelan mountains.

No information available.

Nectar of plants such as Heliconia and Passiflora, and small arthropods. Feeds by trap-lining.

Song is a continuous series of single “tsik” notes, at a rate of c. 1·6–2 notes/second. Male often sings from a perch in undergrowth at a lek involving several individuals. Call note an explosive, upslurred “psit!” , often given in flight.

Breeding records in Jan, Jun, Sept and Nov in N Brazil, S of Amazon; Sept in N Brazil, N of Amazon; Mar, Jun–Aug in Guyana; Aug–Oct in French Guiana; gonadal data indicate Nov in Brazil N of Amazon, as well as Jul and Aug in N Brazil S of Amazon. Nest similar to that of P. longirostris, being attached to the underside of a palm leaf, constructed of moss, seeds and silky filaments of various plants, bound and attached using spider webs (1 Grantsau, R. (1988). Os Beija-flores do Brasil. Expressão e Cultura, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Close ). Two eggs  ; incubation at least 16 days, by female with head facing leaf, bill pointing upwards and backwards, and tail cocked up; fledging c. 21–22 days; chick  has dark pinkish skin and light brown down.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). CITES II. Common throughout its range. Abundant in the Voltzberg Nature Reserve in Surinam, with recorded density of at least 3–4 pairs/km². Species is still found in bird exports from Surinam and French Guiana to EU countries, although numbers of birds exported have no detectable impact on populations.