<trp-post-container data-trp-post-id='359605'>Saw-billed Hermit
Open Bird Bucket List ↗
En bref
- Scientific Name: Ramphodon naevius
- Spanish Name: Ermitaño pico de sierra
- Famille : Trochilidae
- Known Nicknames: Saw-billed Hermit, Saw-billed Hummingbird
- Average Length: 14–16 cm / 5.5–6.3 in
- Average Weight: 8–12 g / 0.28–0.42 oz
- Envergure : N/A
- Key Feature: Distinctive saw-like serrations on the edges of the bill
- Primary Diet: Nectarivore, occasionally insectivore
- Range: Southeastern Brazil (coastal Atlantic Forest)
- Habitat: Humid lowland and montane Atlantic Forest understory
- Social Structure: Solitary, sometimes in loose groups at feeding sites
- Nesting/Breeding: Nest built inside a cave, rock crevice, or under a bridge
- Statut de conservation : Quasi menacé (NT)
- Évolution démographique : En baisse
The Saw-billed Hermit (*Ramphodon naevius*) is a striking, medium-sized hummingbird endemic to the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil, renowned for its bizarre, almost prehistoric appearance. Its most unique characteristic is the serrated, saw-like edges on its bill, which it uses to pierce the tough corollas of certain heliconia and bromeliad flowers to access nectar, a specialized feeding strategy rare among hummingbirds. This bird has a predominantly brownish-olive plumage with a buffy throat and chest, a dark mask through the eye, and a distinctive, slightly decurved bill. A special feature is its exceptionally long, graduated tail feathers with white tips, which it often flicks and spreads while hovering, adding to its dramatic presence in the dim understory it calls home.
Faits amusants
Despite its name, the saw-billed hermit doesn't actually saw wood; its name comes from the fine, serrated edges on its beak, which it uses like a tiny steak knife to pierce the bases of long, tubular flowers, stealing nectar without ever pollinating them. This “nectar-robbing” behavior is a quirky cheat, as it bypasses the flower’s reproductive parts. It has an unusually long, decurved bill for a hermit hummingbird, perfectly matched to the Heliconia flowers it favors, and it often clings upside-down to feed, a contortionist trick rare among its relatives.
Habitats et répartition
The Saw-billed Hermit is endemic to the Atlantic Forest of southeastern Brazil, ranging from southern Bahia south to northern Rio Grande do Sul. Its habitat consists primarily of humid, lowland and submontane forests, including both primary and mature secondary growth, typically below 1,000 meters in elevation. It is strongly associated with the understory and edges of these forests, particularly near streams and in areas with abundant Heliconia and other understory plants that provide nectar and foraging sites. The species is also found in forest fragments and occasionally in adjacent restinga (coastal scrub) habitats, but it is generally absent from open or heavily degraded areas.
Comportements & Reproduction
The Saw-billed Hermit is a solitary and territorial hummingbird, with males establishing feeding territories along streams in the Atlantic Forest. Mating is promiscuous, as males do not form pair bonds and contribute no parental care; their primary reproductive strategy involves performing a distinctive lek-like display, where they sing from a fixed perch to attract females passing through their domain. Females alone build a small cup-shaped nest, often attached to a fern frond or palm leaf overhanging water, which may help deter predators. A typical clutch consists of two eggs, and the female incubates them for about 14-16 days while aggressively defending the nest from intruders. The chicks fledge after roughly 20-24 days, and the female may rear multiple broods in a single season, capitalizing on the year-round availability of nectar-rich flowers in their lowland habitat.
Alimentation
The Saw-billed Hermit is a specialized nectarivore, primarily feeding on the nectar of specific flowers with long, curved corollas that match its uniquely shaped bill, such as those of certain Heliconia, Costus, and Marcgravia species. Unlike many other hummingbirds that hover, this bird often clings to the flower while feeding, using its saw-like bill edges to pierce the bases of blossoms to access nectar that other birds cannot reach. Interestingly, it also supplements its diet with small arthropods, such as spiders and insects, which it gleans from foliage or catches in short sallies, providing essential protein, especially during the breeding season. A notable dietary fact is that the Saw-billed Hermit is a "trap-line" feeder, visiting a regular circuit of widely dispersed flowers in the understory of its Atlantic Forest habitat, a strategy that reduces competition and ensures a consistent food supply.
Couleurs
The Saw-billed Hermit is predominantly dark olive-brown above with a rufous-orange belly and a distinctive pale buffy eyebrow stripe. Its most unique feature is a heavily streaked and mottled throat and chest, combining dark brown and pale buff markings that break up its outline. The tail is dark with white-tipped outer feathers, and the long, curved bill is black with a saw-like edge. This cryptic patterning provides excellent camouflage against the dappled light and bark of its understory forest habitat.
Distribution Map
Places linked to this species. A sighting is never guaranteed.
Use the map filter to show only featured places.
Featured places
