Long-tailed Hermit
Encyclopedia
The Long-tailed Hermit is a large hummingbird
that is a resident breeder in Venezuela
, the Guianas, and north-eastern Brazil
. This species is commonly referred to as the Eastern Long-tailed Hermit, but it is likely, following recommendations from Gary Stiles in February 2006, that the new name will be adopted by most authorities.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The food of this species is nectar, taken from large flowers, such as Heliconias, ginger
s and passion flower
s, and small insect
s and spider
s taken as an essential source of protein. Hatchlings are fed by the female with regurgitated invertebrate
s.
Long-tailed Hermits are trap-line feeders; they do not defend territory, but visit seasonal flowers on routes through the forest up to I km long.
Hummingbird
Hummingbirds are birds that comprise the family Trochilidae. They are among the smallest of birds, most species measuring in the 7.5–13 cm range. Indeed, the smallest extant bird species is a hummingbird, the 5-cm Bee Hummingbird. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings...
that is a resident breeder in Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
, the Guianas, and north-eastern Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
. This species is commonly referred to as the Eastern Long-tailed Hermit, but it is likely, following recommendations from Gary Stiles in February 2006, that the new name will be adopted by most authorities.
The taxonomic history of this group is complicated, with similar hermit
Hermit (hummingbird)
The hermits are tropical and subtropical hummingbirds in the subfamily Phaethornithinae, comprising 30–40 species in six genera. They occur from southern Mexico, through Central America, to South America as far south as northern Argentina....
populations from both sides of the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
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
Long-billed Hermit
The Long-billed Hermit is a large hummingbird that is a resident breeder from central Mexico south to northwestern Colombia, extreme western Venezuela and western Ecuador...
means that P. superciliosus no longer needs “eastern” in its English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
name.
A further problem relates to the taxonomy of the Long-tailed Hermit versus the Great-billed Hermit
Great-billed Hermit
The Great-billed Hermit is a species of hummingbird in the Trochilidae family.It is found in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela....
(P. malaris). Most taxa previously consider subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Heliconia
Heliconia, derived from the Greek word helikonios, 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. Many species of Heliconia are found in rainforests or tropical wet forests of these regions...
or banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
leaf.
The food of this species is nectar, taken from large flowers, such as Heliconias, ginger
Ginger
Ginger is the rhizome of the plant Zingiber officinale, consumed as a delicacy, medicine, or spice. It lends its name to its genus and family . Other notable members of this plant family are turmeric, cardamom, and galangal....
s and passion flower
Passion flower
Passiflora, known also as the passion flowers or passion vines, is a genus of about 500 species of flowering plants, the namesakes of the family Passifloraceae. They are mostly vines, with some being shrubs, and a few species being herbaceous. For information about the fruit of the passiflora...
s, and small insect
Insect
Insects are a class of living creatures within the arthropods that have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body , three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae...
s and spider
Spider
Spiders are air-breathing arthropods that have eight legs, and chelicerae with fangs that inject venom. They are the largest order of arachnids and rank seventh in total species diversity among all other groups of organisms...
s taken as an essential source of protein. Hatchlings are fed by the female with regurgitated invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
s.
Long-tailed Hermits are trap-line feeders; they do not defend territory, but visit seasonal flowers on routes through the forest up to I km long.
External links
-
- "Eastern Long-tailed Hermit" videos on the Internet Bird Collection
- Stamps (for GuyanaGuyanaGuyana , officially the Co-operative Republic of Guyana, previously the colony of British Guiana, is a sovereign state on the northern coast of South America that is culturally part of the Anglophone Caribbean. Guyana was a former colony of the Dutch and of the British...
, SurinameSurinameSuriname , officially the Republic of Suriname , is a country in northern South America. It borders French Guiana to the east, Guyana to the west, Brazil to the south, and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean. Suriname was a former colony of the British and of the Dutch, and was previously known as...
) with RangeMap - Long-tailed Hermit photo gallery VIREO Photo-High Res-(Close-up)