Phaethornis hispidus
The White-bearded Hermit, Phaethornis hispidus, is a medium-sized hummingbird, typically measuring 13-14 cm in length and weighing a mere 4-6 grams. Its upperparts are a dull greenish-bronze, contrasting with a distinctive pale buffy-white throat and underparts. Key field marks include a dark mask across the eye, accentuated by a prominent white supercilium and a brilliant white moustachial stripe, giving the species its common name. Like other hermits, it possesses a long, strongly decurved ...
This species primarily inhabits the understory and forest edges of humid tropical lowland rainforests, including secondary growth and gallery forests, typically found at elevations up to 1200-1500 meters.
Their diet consists primarily of nectar, particularly from long-tubed flowers like those of Heliconia and Zingiberaceae, supplemented by small arthropods (insects and spiders) gleaned from foliage or caught in flight.
White-bearded Hermits are solitary and diurnal, spending their days meticulously foraging along established 'trap-lines' of favored flowering plants. Males are a notable lekking species, gathering at traditional sites to sing and display to females. These leks are inconspicuous, often consisting ...
The White-bearded Hermit is a widespread resident throughout the Amazon basin of South America. Its extensive breeding range covers eastern Colombia, eastern Ecuador, eastern Peru, northern Bolivia, and much of the Amazonian regions of Brazil, extending north into southern Venezuela and the Guian...
Least Concern
- The White-bearded Hermit is a classic example of a 'trap-liner,' meaning it visits a circuit of widely dispersed flowers repeatedly rather than defending a single patch. - Males of this species engage in lekking behavior, gathering in small groups to sing and display for females without offerin...