Phaethornis stuarti
The White-browed Hermit, *Phaethornis stuarti*, is a diminutive and highly sought-after hummingbird endemic to the humid Andean foothills of South America. Averaging just 9-10 cm in length and weighing a mere 3-4 grams, it sports a rather drab, cryptic plumage of olive-green to brownish upperparts and pale gray-buff underparts. Its most distinctive field marks include a prominent white supercilium, or 'brow,' that sharply contrasts with a dark eye-line and a dark malar (mustache) stripe, givi...
This species primarily inhabits the understory of subtropical and tropical moist montane forests, favoring dense vegetation along forest edges and clearings. It is typically found at elevations ranging from 500 to 1,800 meters above sea level.
Its primary diet consists of nectar from a variety of flowering plants, especially those with tubular flowers like heliconias and bromeliads. It supplements this with small arthropods, including insects and spiders, gleaned from foliage or caught in flight.
The White-browed Hermit is a diurnal and largely solitary bird, often observed engaging in a 'traplining' foraging strategy where it flies a regular circuit between widely dispersed flower patches. Males likely gather at leks to sing and attract females, though detailed observations for this rare...
The White-browed Hermit possesses an incredibly restricted and fragmented range, primarily confined to the humid Andean foothills of south-central Bolivia and a small, disjunct population in southeastern Peru. In Bolivia, it is found in the departments of Santa Cruz, Cochabamba, and La Paz, large...
Vulnerable
- The White-browed Hermit is one of the smallest members of the hermit subfamily, often weighing less than a common house mouse. - Its extremely long, decurved bill is a perfect adaptation for reaching nectar deep within specialized tubular flowers, making it an essential pollinator. - The specie...