Ermite vert

En bref

  • Scientific Name: Phaethornis guy
  • Spanish Name: Ermitaño verde
  • Famille : Trochilidae
  • Known Nicknames: Green Hermit Hummingbird, Guy's Hermit
  • Average Length: 13–15 cm / 5.1–5.9 in
  • Average Weight: 5–8 g / 0.18–0.28 oz
  • Envergure : N/A
  • Key Feature: Long, decurved bill and iridescent green plumage with a white-tipped tail
  • Primary Diet: Nectarivore (primarily nectar, also small insects and spiders)
  • Range: Costa Rica to western Venezuela, Ecuador, and northern Peru
  • Habitat: Understory and edges of humid montane and lowland rainforest
  • Social Structure: Solitary (except during breeding)
  • Nesting/Breeding: Cup-shaped nest attached to the underside of a leaf or fern frond
  • Statut de conservation : Préoccupation mineure (LC)
  • Évolution démographique : Stable

The Green Hermit (*Phaethornis guy*) is a strikingly elegant hummingbird found in the humid montane forests of Central and South America, renowned for its elongated, decurved bill and exceptionally long, white-tipped central tail feathers that stream behind it like a living comet. Its general appearance is a shimmering mosaic of iridescent green and bronze above, with a sooty-black mask and a pale, buffy throat and breast, while the male’s distinctive, downward-curving bill is perfectly adapted for extracting nectar from long, tubular flowers like those of heliconias. A special feature is its unique lekking behavior, where males gather in loose groups to perform persistent, high-pitched songs and aerial displays, making it one of the few hummingbird species known for such communal, insect-like vocalizations rather than simple chipping calls.

Faits amusants

Despite its name, the Green Hermit is not actually green; its plumage is a shimmering mix of bronze, olive, and gold, with the "green" referring to its iridescent throat. It performs a bizarre, pendulum-like courtship display where the male and female swing back and forth on a horizontal branch, sometimes for over an hour, without ever touching. Its long, decurved bill is perfectly adapted to sip nectar from heliconia flowers, but it also exhibits "trap-lining"—flying a precise, repeated route to visit specific flowers in a set order, much like a trapper checking their lines. To conserve energy during cool nights or food scarcity, the Green Hermit can enter a state of torpor, dropping its body temperature and heart rate dramatically.

Habitats et répartition

The Green Hermit inhabits humid montane and lowland forests, particularly in the understory and edges of cloud forests, where it favors areas with dense vegetation, streams, and abundant epiphytes. It is also found in secondary growth, forest clearings, and plantations near forested zones, typically from sea level up to around 2,000 meters in elevation. Its geographical range extends from Costa Rica and Panama in Central America, through the Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru, and into Venezuela and Trinidad, with isolated populations also occurring in the coastal mountains of northern Venezuela.

Comportements & Reproduction

Green Hermits are typically solitary, with males establishing dispersed lekking territories where they perform elaborate aerial displays to attract females. These displays involve hovering, tail-fanning, and rapid vocalizations, and the male does not participate in nesting or parental care. Females build a cone-shaped nest suspended from the underside of a large leaf, often near streams, and lay two eggs. A unique reproductive strategy is their reliance on trap-lining, where individuals follow a consistent, repeated route to feed on specific flowers, which may influence mate attraction by ensuring males are predictably present at display sites. The female alone incubates the eggs and feeds the chicks, which fledge after about three weeks.

Alimentation

The Green Hermit (Phaethornis guy) is a specialized nectarivore, feeding primarily on the high-energy nectar of long, tubular flowers, particularly those from families like Heliconiaceae and Rubiaceae, which it accesses using its long, decurved bill. A fascinating aspect of its diet is its role as a "trap-line" forager, meaning it follows a consistent, repeatable route through the forest, visiting a specific sequence of flowers at precise times of day to maximize nectar intake as flowers replenish. Unlike many hummingbirds that aggressively defend a single territory, the Green Hermit’s trap-lining behavior allows it to exploit scattered, high-reward blooms without constant conflict. To supplement its liquid diet, it also consumes small arthropods like spiders and insects, which it gleans from leaves or catches in mid-air, providing essential protein, especially during the breeding season.

Couleurs

The Green Hermit is predominantly a deep, iridescent green with a bronze or coppery sheen on the back and crown. It has a dark, slightly curved bill, a white or buffy stripe behind the eye, and a dark mask through the eye. The central tail feathers are elongated and pointed, colored green with white tips, while the outer tail feathers are rufous with black bands. Its underparts are a paler grayish-green, providing camouflage against the dappled light of the forest understory.