Little Hermit

Overview

The little hermit (Phaethornis longuemareus) is a small hummingbird and resident breeder found in north-eastern Venezuela, northern Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and Trinidad. It is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List and is considered one of the smallest hummingbirds and birds overall.

Identification

• Measures approximately 9 cm (3.5 in) in total length and weighs between 2.5–3.5 g (0.09–0.12 oz).
• Features olive-green upperparts with orange-ochraceous uppertail coverts and underparts, where the belly is often greyer.
• Possesses a long decurved bill with a black upper mandible and a lower mandible that is yellow with a black tip.
• Displays elongated central rectrices with whitish tips and a blackish mask bordered by a whitish-buff malar and supercilium; males have a slightly darker throat than females.

Habitat

This species inhabits various semi-open wooded environments such as mangroves, secondary forest, plantations and scrub, and also occurs in rainforest in Trinidad. It is a resident breeder across its range in north-eastern Venezuela, northern Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana and Trinidad, where it is fairly common.

Diet

The little hermit feeds primarily on nectar from a wide variety of flowers, including Heliconia, as well as small insects and spiders. It forages mainly by trap-lining.

Did you know?

Males form communal leks where they sing and flash their tails to attract females, producing a song that is typically high, squeaky, complex and repeated continuously.