Ermite vert (Phaethornis guy)

En bref

• Scientific Name: Phaethornis guy
• Spanish Name: Ermitaño verde
• Famille : Trochilidae
• Known Nicknames: Guy's Hermit
• Average Length: 13.5–15 cm / 5.3–5.9 in
• Average Weight: 5–8 g / 0.18–0.28 oz
• Wingspan: 15–18 cm / 6–7 in
• Key Feature: Long decurved bill and elongated white-tipped central tail feathers
• Primary Diet: Nectarivore (Nectar and small arthropods)
• Range: Costa Rica and Panama to Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Trinidad
• Habitat: Humid montane forest understory and cloud forests
• Social Structure: Solitary; males form leks for courtship
• Nesting/Breeding: Cup nest attached to the underside of a large leaf
• Statut de conservation : Préoccupation mineure (LC)
• Évolution démographique : En baisse

The Green Hermit (*Phaethornis guy*) is a large and striking member of the hummingbird family, easily distinguished by its shimmering metallic green plumage and remarkably long, decurved bill. Native to the humid forest understories of Central and South America, this bird is most recognizable for its elongated, white-tipped central tail feathers that trail elegantly during flight. Unlike many territorial hummingbirds, the Green Hermit is a "trap-liner," meaning it follows a precise daily circuit to visit widely dispersed, nectar-rich tubular flowers that its curved beak is perfectly evolved to reach. Beyond its physical beauty, the species is known for its fascinating social behavior; males gather in communal display areas called leks, where they spend much of their day wagging their tails and emitting persistent, rhythmic chirps to compete for the attention of visiting females.

Faits amusants

The Green Hermit is a dedicated "trap-line" feeder, memorizing a precise, miles-long daily route to visit specific flowers rather than defending a single patch. To attract mates, males congregate in competitive groups called leks, where they spend nearly the entire day wagging their long, white-tipped tail feathers and belting out persistent, rhythmic chirps. Their nesting habits are equally remarkable; they use spider silk to glue a cone-shaped nest to the underside of a large, dangling leaf, often adding small stones or mud to the bottom of the structure to act as a counterweight, ensuring the nest remains perfectly level.

Habitats et répartition

This species is distributed across Central and South America, with a range extending from Costa Rica and Panama through the Andes of Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador, reaching as far south as Peru and including the island of Trinidad. Within these regions, it primarily occupies the dark understory of humid montane forests and cloud forests, frequently favoring areas near streams, ravines, or steep, densely vegetated slopes. Typically found at elevations ranging from 600 to 2,000 meters, it thrives in shaded environments with high humidity. While it is most common in primary evergreen forests, it also inhabits mature secondary growth and shaded plantations. Its presence is closely tied to the availability of understory flowers, as it traverses established routes through the forest to forage for nectar.

Comportements & Reproduction

These birds exhibit a complex social structure centered around communal display grounds known as leks. During the breeding season, males congregate in the forest understory to sing persistent, rhythmic songs and perform visual displays, such as tail-flicking, to attract visiting females. This lekking behavior is highly competitive, with males defending small singing perches to demonstrate their fitness. Outside of the mating period, individuals are generally solitary and follow a "traplining" foraging strategy, moving between widely dispersed floral resources along established routes that they may defend against competitors. Reproduction is characterized by the female’s total independence in nesting and chick-rearing. After selecting a mate at the lek, the female constructs a distinctive cone-shaped nest composed of plant fibers and spiderwebs, which she suspends from the underside of a large, overhanging leaf for protection from rain and predators. She typically lays a clutch of two eggs and is solely responsible for incubation and feeding the young a diet of nectar and small insects. This strategy allows males to remain at the lek for the duration of the breeding season to maximize mating opportunities, while the specialized nest design provides a stable environment for the offspring in a dense tropical habitat.

Alimentation

The Green Hermit is primarily a nectarivore that specializes in feeding from long, curved, tubular flowers, particularly those in the Heliconia and Razisea genera, which perfectly match the shape of its long, decurved bill. Unlike many other hummingbird species that aggressively defend a specific territory of flowers, the Green Hermit is a "trap-liner," meaning it follows a consistent, long-distance circuit through the forest to visit widely dispersed nectar sources in a predictable sequence. To supplement its sugar-rich liquid diet with essential proteins and amino acids, it also consumes small insects and spiders, which it captures mid-air or gleans directly from foliage and spider webs. This specialized feeding strategy makes it a vital pollinator for certain deep-flowered forest plants that are inaccessible to birds with shorter or straighter bills.

Couleurs

Green Hermits are primarily dark metallic green with dusky underparts and a distinct black facial mask framed by buffy streaks. They feature a long, decurved bill with a reddish lower mandible and a tapering tail highlighted by elongated, white-tipped central feathers. This somber, iridescent green plumage serves as effective camouflage within the dimly lit understory of tropical forests.