GREEN HERMIT

The 'Green Hermit' (''Phaethornis guy'') is a large hummingbird that is a resident breeder from southern Central America, in Costa Rica and Panama south to eastern Peru, northeastern Venezuela and Trinidad; the species range in South America is the northern Andes, and northwestern South America.
This hermit 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''.

Contents

References

External links

References

★ Database entry includes justification for why this species is of least concern

★ ''Birds of Venezuela'' by Hilty, ISBN 0-7136-6418-5

★ A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago, , Richard, ffrench, Comstock Publishing, 1991,

External links

★ Green Hermit videos on the Internet Bird Collection

★ Green Hermit Photo; Article

★ Stamps (for Trinidad and Tobago) with RangeMap

★ Green Hermit photo gallery VIREO