Animalia Life
Phaethornis guy
SUBFAMILY
Phaethornithinae
TAXONOMY
Trochilus guy Lesson, 1832, Trinidad. Four subspecies are
recognized.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Guy’s hermit; French: Ermite vert; German: Grьner
Schattenkolibri; Spanish: Ermitaсo Verde.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
5.1 in (13 cm); female 0.14–0.23 oz (4–6.5 g), male 0.14–0.25
oz (4–7 g). A medium-sized hermit with curved bill and an
orange gular stripe. Male has nib-shaped central tail feathers,
female has shorter and more decurved bill, shorter wings.
Lighter underparts, ochraceous belly coloration, and longer
rectrices. Immatures like adult female, but have ochraceous
uppertail-coverts.
DISTRIBUTION
P. g. coruscus: Costa Rica to northwest Colombia; P. g. emiliae:
Colombia (major river valleys); P. g. apicalis: eastern Andean
slopes from north Colombia and northwestern Venezuela to
southeast Peru; P. g. guy: Trinidad and northeast Venezuela.
HABITAT
Understory of humid forest and adjacent forest edges, secondary
growth, and plantations with dense vegetation.
Recorded between 1,975 and 7,550 ft (600 and 2,300 m).
BEHAVIOR
Song consists of a series of squeaking notes, presented while
perching at the lek. Sharp metallic flight call.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Nectar of Heliconia, Costus, Razisea, Columnea, Pachystachys, Centropogon,
and of introduced plants like Musa and Canna; small
arthropods. Casually searching for flowers in Polylepis forests.
Traplining.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Males establish traditional leks throughout the year. Breeds in
November to July, in particular January to April in Trinidad;
February to September, December in Costa Rica and Panama;
June to August in Colombia; July to November in Peru. Nest
cone shaped, consisting of moss and fine plant material; placed
at the tip of a long leaf, often near or above streams. Males
sometimes defend nest, but do not participate in parental care.
Two eggs; incubation 17–18 days by female with head towards
the leaf. Fledging period 21–23, sometimes 27 days. Chicks
have dark skin and sparse dorsal down. Well feathered when
about two weeks old.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Uncommon to fairly common in most areas.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.
Photo Gallery of - Green hermit
