Streak-throated Hermit
Scientific name: Phaethornis rupurumii
The Streak-throated Hermit is a small, inconspicuous hermit hummingbird of riverine forests, river islands, and semi-open woodland across parts of the northern Amazon and adjacent Llanos region. 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: Eastern Colombia, central and eastern Venezuela, western Guyana, and north‑central Brazil (lower Amazon region)
Habitat: Edges of humid lowland rainforest, várzea forest, semi‑deciduous and gallery forest, scrub, river islands, and secondary forest along rivers
Elevation: Mostly lowlands, locally up to about 500 m (1,600 ft)
Length: About 10–12.1 cm (3.9–4.8 in)
Weight: About 2.5–3 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 references Phaethon of Greek mythology and the sun, combined with “bird,” and is applied to the hermit hummingbirds. The species name rupurumii refers to the Rupununi (Rupurumí) region and river system in Guyana, near where the species was first documented. The English name “Streak-throated Hermit” describes the fine streaking on the dark throat that helps distinguish it from other small, brownish hermits.
Taxonomy
Phaethornis rupurumii is a hermit hummingbird in the subfamily Phaethornithinae. It was formerly treated as a subspecies within the Dusky-throated Hermit (Phaethornis squalidus) complex but is now recognized as a distinct species based on differences in plumage and distribution. Two subspecies are currently recognized and may warrant further taxonomic study in the future.
Subspecies and Distribution
Two subspecies:
Phaethornis rupurumii rupurumii
Distribution: Extreme eastern Colombia (eastern Vichada) through central and eastern Venezuela and western Guyana into adjacent northern Brazil (Roraima).Phaethornis rupurumii amazonicus
Distribution: Lower Amazon region of north‑central Brazil, east from the lower Rio Negro.
The two subspecies are geographically separated, with the nominate form occupying the Orinoco–Guyana–Roraima region and amazonicus confined to the lower Amazon basin. Both occur mostly at low elevations in river‑influenced forest and semi‑open habitats.
Legend
Green Resident
Species Overview
The Streak-throated Hermit is a small, brownish hermit with a greenish back, pale buff‑gray underparts, and a very dark throat that appears finely streaked. Like many Phaethornis species, it shows a dark facial mask framed by a pale supercilium and a pale stripe along the lower cheek and throat. The bill is long and decurved, adapted for feeding at tubular flowers, while the tail is relatively short and rounded for a hermit, with subtle pale tips. This species is poorly known but appears to be locally common in suitable riverine and semi-open habitats.
Male Description
Males are about 10–12.1 cm long and weigh roughly 2.5–3 g. Upperparts are generally dull greenish or bronzy‑brown, with slightly warmer tones across the rump. The throat is very dark brown and appears streaky due to pale feather edges, giving the bird its common name. The rest of the underparts are very pale buff‑gray to brownish‑gray, often lighter towards the belly. The face shows a blackish mask with a narrow pale supercilium and a pale malar or gular stripe. The bill is long, slender, and decurved, and the tail is short, rounded, and only lightly marked at the tips of the feathers.
Female Description
Females are similar in size and plumage to males, with the same greenish‑brown upperparts, dark streaked throat, and pale buff‑gray underparts. Any differences between the sexes are subtle and mainly involve small variations in size and bill proportions. Juveniles have not been described in detail, but they likely resemble adults with somewhat softer facial contrast and less distinct throat streaking until they complete their first molt.
Habitat & Behavior
Streak-throated Hermits inhabit the understory at the edges of humid lowland rainforest and within seasonally flooded várzea forest. They also use semi‑deciduous and gallery forests, scrub, river islands with shrubby vegetation, and secondary forest along major rivers. The species is primarily a lowland bird but reaches around 500 m in parts of Venezuela and Guyana.
Their behavior is presumed to follow the typical hermit pattern of traplining, in which individuals visit a repeated circuit of flowering plants rather than defending a single territory. They likely use a variety of understory and river‑edge flowers for nectar and supplement their diet with small arthropods such as insects and spiders. Birds are usually solitary and can be surprisingly inconspicuous, moving quietly through dense riverside vegetation.
Breeding
Very little is known about the breeding biology of the Streak-throated Hermit. By analogy with other Phaethornis hermits, the female probably builds a small, cone‑shaped nest of plant fibers and spiderweb, suspended from the underside of a drooping leaf or similar support near sheltered forest edges or over water. A typical clutch for hermits is two white eggs, with the female alone responsible for incubation and feeding the chicks. Specific nesting dates and detailed observations remain largely undocumented for this species.
Movement
The Streak-throated Hermit is considered not a migrant. It is resident within its disjunct range, although individuals may move locally along river systems, between river islands, and among different forest types as flowering patterns and water levels change. These shifts are local and seasonal rather than true long‑distance migrations.
Population
The total number of mature individuals is unknown. The species remains very poorly studied but appears to be locally common where suitable riverine and semi‑open habitats persist. Because it uses forest edges, gallery forest, and secondary growth, it may tolerate moderate disturbance, yet widespread deforestation and alteration of riverine habitats likely contribute to a decreasing overall trend.
Conservation
The Streak-throated Hermit is assessed as Least Concern based on its broad, though patchy, distribution. However, the population is believed to be decreasing, and the species’ ecology and breeding remain poorly documented. Habitat loss through deforestation, conversion of riverine forest to agriculture or pasture, and changes in river dynamics that affect river islands and várzea forest are ongoing threats. Protecting riparian forests, river islands with native vegetation, and stretches of semi‑deciduous and gallery forest along major rivers is important for the long‑term conservation of this species.
Below is the Streak-throated Hermit (Phaethornis rupurumii amazonicus)
Photographed at PN de Anavilhanas – Ilha do Tracajá, Novo Airão, Amazonas, Brazil
These individuals belong to the subspecies amazonicus, which occurs along the lower Amazon basin in north-central Brazil, east from the lower Rio Negro. This form is subtly differentiated by slight plumage tone variation and geography, though visually similar to the nominate. It occupies riverine forest and understory thickets below 300 meters.
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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.