Long-billed Hermit
Long-billed Hermit (Phaethornis longirostris)
Name Origin:
The genus Phaethornis comes from Greek phaethōn meaning “radiant” and ornis meaning “bird.” The species name longirostris means “long-billed” in Latin, referencing the bird’s distinctive, decurved bill.
Quick Facts
🪶 Length: 13–16 cm (5.1–6.3 in)
⚖️ Weight: 5–6 g
🌎 Range: Southern Mexico through Central America to northwestern South America
🧭 Elevation: Sea level to 2,500 m
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small arthropods
🏡 Habitat: Humid lowland forest, secondary forest, shaded ravines
🧬 Clade: Phaethornithinae “Hermits”
📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN 2024)
Subspecies & Distribution
Four subspecies:
Phaethornis longirostris longirostris
Distribution: Southern Mexico (northern Oaxaca) to northern Honduras.Phaethornis longirostris cephalus
Distribution: Eastern Honduras through Costa Rica and into northwestern Colombia (northern Santander).Phaethornis longirostris susurrus
Distribution: Santa Marta Mountains, northern Colombia.Phaethornis longirostris baroni
Distribution: Western Ecuador (Esmeraldas to Loja) to northwestern Peru (Tumbes, Piura).
Species Overview
The Long-billed Hermit is a large hermit hummingbird of tropical lowland and foothill forest. It is often found near shaded streams or forest edges, where it feeds on nectar from tubular flowers and captures small insects. It is a trap-liner, following predictable routes through its territory. Males gather at leks to display, producing rapid, buzzing songs and showing off their long central tail feathers.
Male Description:
Bronze-green upperparts, dark facial mask bordered by white supercilium and malar stripes, long decurved black bill, and elongated central tail feathers with pale tips.
Female Description:
Similar to the male but with shorter tail streamers and a slightly paler throat and underparts.
Habitat & Behavior:
Favors understory of humid tropical forests, forest edges, and overgrown ravines. Often found at low to mid elevations. Forages on a wide range of flowers and captures small arthropods. Nest is suspended under large leaves. Males perform in leks, where multiple individuals call and display in dense vegetation.
Conservation Note:
The Long-billed Hermit is widespread and locally common, with stable populations across much of its range. While it can tolerate some habitat disturbance, large-scale deforestation can fragment its range. Continued forest protection is important, especially for lekking and nesting sites near watercourses.
Below is the Long-billed Hermit (Phaethornis longirostris cephalus)
Photographed at Donde Cope – La Unión de Guápiles, Limón, Costa Rica
These individuals belong to the subspecies cephalus, which ranges from eastern Honduras through Nicaragua and Costa Rica into northwestern Colombia. It inhabits humid lowland and foothill forest, especially along streams and forest edges. Compared to other subspecies, cephalus shows slightly more ochraceous underparts, particularly in the southern portion of its range.
