Stripe-throated Hermit

Stripe-throated Hermit (Phaethornis striigularis)

Name Origin:
The genus Phaethornis is derived from the Greek Phaethon, meaning "sun," and ornis, meaning "bird"—a poetic reference to the shimmering quality of many hermits. The species name striigularis means “streaked throat,” referring to its finely marked underparts.

Quick Facts

🪶 Length: 9.5–11 cm (3.7–4.3 in)
⚖️ Weight: ~2.5–3.5 g (0.09–0.12 oz)
🌎 Range: Southern Mexico to northwestern South America
🧭 Elevation: Sea level to 1,200 m
🌸 Diet: Nectar and small arthropods
🏡 Habitat: Humid lowland forests, forest edge, and secondary growth
🧬 Clade: Phaethornithinae (“Hermits”)
📊 Status: Least Concern (IUCN 2024)

Subspecies & Distribution

Four subspecies:

1. Phaethornis striigularis saturatus
   Distribution: Southern Mexico (Veracruz and Oaxaca) south through Central America to northwestern Colombia.

2. Phaethornis striigularis subrufescens
   Distribution: Western Colombia and western Ecuador (south to El Oro).

3. Phaethornis striigularis striigularis
   Distribution: Northern Colombia (including the Magdalena Valley) and adjacent western Venezuela.

4. Phaethornis striigularis ignobilis
   Distribution: Northern Venezuela.

Species Overview

The Stripe-throated Hermit is a small, fast-moving hummingbird with a pale facial stripe, long decurved bill, and lightly streaked throat. It moves quickly between flowers close to the forest floor using trap-lining behavior. Its appearance is similar to other small hermits, but it can be recognized by its fine throat streaking and faintly marked vent.

Male Description:
Dusky olive-brown above, pale whitish facial stripe and malar area, dark crown, and a narrow white-tipped tail. Throat lightly streaked.

Female Description:
Similar to the male but with slightly more grayish underparts and less distinct facial contrast.

Habitat & Behavior:
Prefers lowland rainforest and edges, commonly found in dense understory. It forages on tubular flowers at lower levels and supplements its diet with insects. Typically solitary, it establishes feeding circuits and is often heard giving high-pitched calls.

Conservation Note:
Listed as Least Concern, the Stripe-throated Hermit has a broad range and is relatively adaptable. It occurs in both primary and disturbed forest, but ongoing habitat fragmentation across its range could affect local populations if not managed.

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Below is the Stripe-throated Hermit (Phaethornis striigularis saturatus)

Photographed at Donde Cope – La Unión de Guápiles and Nectar & Pollen Reserve, Limón; Rancho Naturalista, Cartago; and Cerro Marín, Oaxaca, Mexico

These individuals belong to the subspecies saturatus, which ranges from southern Mexico through Central America to northwestern Colombia. Birds in this group show slightly richer brown upperparts and pale underparts with subtle throat streaking. They inhabit lowland forest and secondary growth below 1,000 meters.

Below is the Stripe-throated Hermit (Phaethornis striigularis striigularis)

Photographed at Observatorio de Aves de Minca, Magdalena, Colombia

This individual belongs to the nominate subspecies striigularis, which occurs in northern Colombia and into adjacent western Venezuela. It is typically found in the Magdalena Valley and nearby foothills, where it frequents lower montane forest edges and secondary growth.

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Below is the Stripe-throated Hermit (Phaethornis striigularis subrufescens)

Photographed at San Cipriano–Escalerete, Valle del Cauca, Colombia

This individual belongs to the subspecies subrufescens, found in western Colombia and western Ecuador. It differs slightly from saturatus by having a warmer rufescent tone to the underparts and back, and it is generally confined to lowland forests along the Pacific slope.