Long-tailed Hermit
Long‑tailed Hermit (Phaethornis superciliosus)
Name Origin:
The genus Phaethornis is derived from Greek roots meaning “sun‑shining bird,” and the species name superciliosus means “eyebrowed,” referring to the white supercilium above the eye.
Quick Facts
🪶 Length: ~14‑15 cm
⚖️ Weight: ~3.5‑6.6 g
🌎 Range: Northeastern Brazil (Amazon region), Guyanas and adjacent lowlands
🧭 Elevation: Lowland tropical forest and forest edge, often near streams
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small insects
🏡 Habitat: Humid lowland forest understory, forest edge, shaded ravines
🧬 Clade: Phaethornithinae “Hermits”
📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN)
Subspecies & Distribution
Two subspecies:
P. s. superciliosus
Distribution: Southern Venezuela, the Guianas and northern Brazil (north of the Amazon)P. s. muelleri
Distribution: Northern Brazil (south of the Amazon)
Species Overview
The Long‑tailed Hermit is one of the larger hermit hummingbirds, notable for its long decurved bill and very long central tail feathers. It follows “trap‑line” foraging routes rather than defending territories. Its plumage is quite subdued—bronzy‑green upperparts, buff‑tinged rump, pale greyish‑buff underparts, a dark mask through the eye flanked by whitish stripes. The male and female are similar.
Male Description:
Bronze‑green upperparts, white supercilium, dark mask, long curved bill, and long central tail shafts tipped white.
Female Description:
Very similar in appearance but slightly smaller and with a slightly shorter bill and tail.
Habitat & Behavior:
Occurs in lowland humid rainforest, usually in the understory or along forest edges and near streams. It forages by visiting a circuit of flowering plants rather than defending a fixed territory. Males may display in small leks, wagging their long tails and vocalizing.
Conservation Note:
Although assessed as Least Concern, the Long‑tailed Hermit depends on intact lowland forest and stream‑side habitat, which are threatened in some regions by deforestation and habitat degradation. Continued protection of these habitats is important for its long‑term stability.
Below is the Long-tailed Hermit (Phaethornis superciliosus superciliosus)
Photographed at Presidente Figueiredo, Amazonas, Brazil
These individuals belong to the subspecies superciliosus, which occurs north of the Amazon River, including parts of northern Brazil, southern Venezuela, and the Guianas. It inhabits humid lowland forest and forest edge, typically in the understory near streams or shaded ravines. Subspecies superciliosus is very similar in appearance to muelleri, though it occupies a separate biogeographic zone defined by the river barrier.
Below is the Long-tailed Hermit (Phaethornis superciliosus muelleri)
Photographed at Borba, Amazonas, Brazil
These individuals belong to the subspecies muelleri, which occurs south of the Amazon River in northern Brazil. This form occupies humid terra firme and floodplain forest in the Amazon basin. Though nearly identical in appearance to superciliosus, muelleri is geographically restricted south of the river and may represent a distinct population demarcated by Amazonian river barriers.
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