Needle-billed Hermit

Brazil

Jul 17

Needle-billed Hermit (Phaethornis philippii)

Name Origin:
The genus Phaethornis combines Phaethon, the mythological Greek sun charioteer, with ornis, meaning bird. The species epithet philippii honors Rodolfo Amando Philippi, a German-Chilean naturalist.

Quick Facts

🪶 Length: 11–12 cm
⚖️ Weight: ~2.5–3 g
🌎 Range: Eastern Peru, northern Bolivia, and western Brazil (south of the Amazon River to the west bank of the Rio Tapajós)
🧭 Elevation: 0–400 m
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small arthropods
🏡 Habitat: Lowland terra firme rainforest
🧬 Clade: Phaethornithinae (a.k.a. “hermits”)
📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN 2024)

Subspecies & Distribution

Monotypic — no subspecies recognized.

Species Overview

The Needle-billed Hermit is a slim, fast-moving hermit hummingbird of the southwestern Amazon Basin. Unlike most hermits, it has a straight, slender bill that gives it a unique profile. It occupies dense understory of terra firme forest and is often overlooked due to its quiet, inconspicuous behavior. It follows a typical trapline foraging pattern, visiting scattered flowers rather than defending feeding territories.

Male Description:
Dull greenish upperparts, grayish underparts, pale supercilium and malar stripe, dark cheek patch, white-tipped tail, and a very straight, needle-like black bill.

Female Description:
Very similar to the male, with slightly shorter bill and sometimes paler throat. Sexes are not strongly dimorphic.

Habitat & Behavior:
Prefers humid terra firme forest, especially mature forest with dense undergrowth. Forages low, typically less than 3 meters off the ground, moving quickly through a trapline of flowering plants. Seldom seen in open areas. It perches low and quietly and is often detected by its rapid darting flight near flowering shrubs.

Conservation Note:
Classified as Least Concern, the Needle-billed Hermit has a broad range spanning multiple Amazonian countries. While not currently threatened, deforestation and fragmentation in lowland forests of Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil could impact populations if habitat degradation continues unchecked.