Green Hermit

The Green Hermit (Phaethornis guy) is a large hummingbird that is a resident breeder from Panama and Costa Rica south to eastern Peru, northeastern Venezuela and Trinidad.

This small bird inhabits forest undergrowth, usually near water, and prefers hilly areas. It is 13.5 cm long and weighs 6.3 g. The reddish bill is long and decurved.

The male Green Hermit is mainly dark green with a blue-green rump. It has a dark mask through the eye, with buff stripes above and below this, and down the centre of the throat. The central feathers of the tapered tail are long and white-tipped, and are wiggled in display at the communal leks. The female is duller and sootier grey below, with a longer bill and tail.

The nominate P. g. guy is found in Venezuela and Trinidad. The western P. g. apicalis is slightly smaller and the sexes more similar.

The Green Hermit lays one egg in a conical nest suspended under a large leaf, usually over water. Incubation is 17-18 days, and fledging another 21 to 23 days.

The food of this species is nectar, taken from a wide variety of flowers, and some small insects. The call of this species is a loud zurk, and the display is a repeated swark.

References

• Birds of Venezuela by Hilty, ISBN 0-7136-6418-5
• Birds of Trinidad and Tobago by ffrench, ISBN 0-7136-6759-1