Long-tailed Hermit

Scientific name: Phaethornis superciliosus

The Long-tailed Hermit is a large hermit hummingbird of humid lowland forest understory and edges from southern Venezuela and the Guianas across northern Brazil on both sides of the Amazon. The number of mature individuals is unknown, the population trend is decreasing, it is not a migrant, and it is currently assessed as Least Concern.

At a Glance

• Family: Trochilidae (hummingbirds)

• Clade: Phaethornithinae – Hermits

• Genus: Phaethornis — 27 species in total

• Range: Southern Venezuela, the Guianas, and northern Brazil north and south of the Amazon River

• Habitat: Humid lowland rainforest understory, forest edges, shaded ravines, often near streams and Heliconia patches

• Elevation: Mainly lowlands, typically below about 500 m

• Length: About 13.5–15 cm (5.3–6 in)

• Weight: About 4–6 g

• Number of mature individuals: Unknown

• Population trend: Decreasing

• Movement: Not a migrant

• IUCN Red List category: Least Concern

Name Origin
The genus name Phaethornis comes from Greek roots meaning “sun‑shining bird,” and the species name superciliosus means “eyebrowed,” referring to the white supercilium above the eye. The English name “Long-tailed Hermit” highlights its very long central tail feathers and its placement among the hermit hummingbirds.

Taxonomy
Phaethornis superciliosus is a hermit hummingbird in the subfamily Phaethornithinae and is the type species of the genus Phaethornis. Two subspecies are recognized across its northeastern South American range.

Subspecies and Distribution
Two subspecies:

• Phaethornis superciliosus superciliosus
  Distribution: Southern Venezuela, the Guianas, and northern Brazil north of the Amazon River.

• Phaethornis superciliosus muelleri
  Distribution: Northern Brazil south of the Amazon River.

Legend
Green Resident

Species Overview
The Long-tailed Hermit is a dull brownish‑green hermit with a buff‑tinged rump, long decurved bill, and very long white‑tipped central tail feathers. A dark mask through the eye, bordered above and below with pale stripes, creates a classic hermit facial pattern. It lives in dim forest undergrowth and edges near water and large tubular flowers such as Heliconias, following regular traplines between feeding sites.

Male Description
Males are about 13.5–15 cm long and fairly slender. Upperparts are dull bronzy‑green with a buff‑tinged rump; underparts are pale greyish‑buff to brownish. The head has a wide dark band through the eye bordered above and below with whitish‑buff stripes, giving a strong “eyebrowed” look. The bill is very long and decurved, with a dark upper mandible and a red‑tipped lower mandible. The tail is tapered, with extremely long central feathers tipped white and the remaining tail feathers brown with pale tips.

Female Description
Females closely resemble males but are slightly smaller, with shorter wings and tail and a somewhat shorter bill. Plumage and facial pattern are essentially the same in both sexes. Juveniles resemble adults but can show greyer feathering at the base of the neck and on the back until they molt into full adult plumage.

Habitat & Behavior
Long-tailed Hermits inhabit forest undergrowth and shaded edges in humid lowland rainforest, typically near watercourses and stands of large tubular flowers. They favor warm, moist habitats with dense understory growth and scattered patches of Heliconia and other nectar plants. They feed mainly on nectar from large flowers and supplement their diet with small insects and spiders taken from foliage or caught in short sallies. As classic hermit trapliners, they follow repeated routes up to around a kilometer long between seasonal flowers rather than defending single territories.

Breeding
Breeding usually coincides with the rainy season, when nectar sources are abundant. The female constructs a cone‑shaped nest of plant fibers, cobwebs, and other soft materials, suspended from the underside of a large leaf—often Heliconia, banana, or similar broad foliage—in the shaded understory, frequently above or near streams. She lays two white eggs and alone is responsible for incubation and feeding the young. Incubation lasts roughly two weeks, and the chicks typically fledge around three weeks after hatching.

Movement
The Long-tailed Hermit is a resident breeder within its range and is considered non‑migratory. Individuals may shift locally within lowland rainforest as flowering patterns and water levels change, but there is no evidence of regular long‑distance or seasonal migration.

Population
The total number of mature individuals has not been quantified. The species is described as rare to fairly common in suitable lowland forest and edge habitats across southern Venezuela, the Guianas, and northern Brazil. Ongoing deforestation, forest fragmentation, and degradation of lowland rainforest and riparian corridors are likely contributing to a gradual long‑term decline.

Conservation
The Long-tailed Hermit is currently assessed as Least Concern due to its extensive range and occurrence in several countries. However, continued loss and degradation of humid lowland forest, especially along rivers and in coastal lowlands, pose important threats to its habitat. Protection of intact rainforest blocks, streamside corridors, and Heliconia‑rich understory is important for maintaining healthy populations.

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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.

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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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Related species in the Phaethornis genus (27 species total)

Please note: The content provided in this article reflects Anthony’s personal experience and photographic approach. Results can vary depending on light, weather, location, equipment, subject behavior, and field conditions.