The White-Browed Hermit (Phaethornis stuarti) is a species of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae. It is found in the Andean foothills and adjacent lowlands in Bolivia and Peru. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.
Taxonomy and systematics
The White-Browed Hermit has been suggested to be conspecific with the reddish hermit (P. ruber) “but they are clearly distinct species”. The white-browed hermit is monotypic.
Description
The White-Browed Hermit is 10 cm (4 in) long and weighs 2.5 g (0.09 oz). The sexes are similar, but males have a narrow pectoral band and females have lighter tails. The facial pattern includes a distinct whitish supercilium and a white throat. The bill is black above and yellow below.
The species of Bird is difficult to distinguish from the very similar red hermit (Phaethornis ruber) which is commonly found at lower elevations, and the identification criteria between the two species still need to be discovered. The white-brown hermit can be a bit lighter with more bronze on the tail.
Read More: Hook-billed hermit
Distribution and accommodation
The range of the white-bearded hermit extends from south-central Peru to central Bolivia along the base of the Andes, with elevations ranging from 350 m to 1400 m. The species is mostly encountered in the forest interior, although people occasionally forage at the forest edge.
Read More:Saw-billed hermit
Feed
Like most hummingbird varieties, white-browed hermits feed on nectar from a wide variety of flowers, but also some small arthropods.
Breeding
The breeding phenology of the white-brown hermit has not been documented.
To sound
The white-brown hermit’s song is “a descending, sharp series of high-pitched notes, ‘tse-tsee-tsee-tsi-ti-tutu’ interspersed with muted ‘tewp’ notes.”
condition
The white-barked hermit is assessed as Least Concern by the IUCN, although its population size is unknown and is believed to be declining.
Cool Facts about White-Browed Hermit
1. White-browed hermits are usually encountered singly or in pairs, more rarely in small groups.
2. It often lies dormant in the understory until the flower is large enough to open. Its flight is slow and deliberate,
3. the rapid beat of its wings makes a humming sound like an insect.
4. Courtship displays involve aerial maneuvers by the male to attract a mate. Once paired,
5. the female alone builds a small nest of plant fibers tied together with spider silk. She lays two white eggs for about 16-19 days until they hatch.
