Phaethornis longirostris (Delattre, 1843)

Size

The long-billed hermit (Phaethornis longirostris (Delattre, 1843)) measures 13 to 16 cm (5.1 to 6.3 in) in total length. Males weigh 5 to 7.5 g (0.18 to 0.26 oz), while females weigh 4 to 6.5 g (0.14 to 0.23 oz).

Nominate Subspecies Plumage

The nominate subspecies P. l. longirostris has greenish-brown upperparts and brownish to grayish underparts. Its uppertail coverts feature dark and light ochre bands, and the central tail feathers are long with long white tips.

Bill Morphology

This species has a long decurved bill; the female's bill is shorter than the male's, but more curved.

Subspecies P. l. cephalus Traits

Subspecies P. l. cephalus is similar to the nominate, but its underparts grow more ochraceous toward the southern end of its range.

Subspecies P. l. susurrus Traits

Subspecies P. l. susurrus is larger than P. l. cephalus, but shares the same coloration.

Subspecies P. l. baroni Traits

Subspecies P. l. baroni has dull metallic green upperparts, and a whiter belly than the other three subspecies.

Subspecies Range Separation

Each subspecies of the long-billed hermit occupies a distinct range.

P. l. longirostris Distribution

P. l. longirostris is found from the Mexican states of Oaxaca and Chiapas south through Guatemala into northern Honduras.

P. l. cephalus Distribution

P. l. cephalus ranges from eastern Honduras through Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama into northwestern Colombia, reaching as far south as Santander Department.

P. l. susurrus Distribution

P. l. susurrus is restricted to the isolated Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta in northeastern Colombia.

P. l. baroni Distribution

P. l. baroni ranges from western Ecuador's Esmeraldas Province south into the Tumbes and Piura departments of Peru.

Habitat

The species lives in the understory and edges of multiple landscape types, including rainforest, tall secondary forest, humid semi-deciduous forest, cloudforest, and gallery forest.

Elevation Range

Recorded elevation limits for the species vary by region: from sea level to 1,000 m (3,300 ft) in Costa Rica, up to 1,500 m (4,900 ft) in eastern Mexico, up to 2,500 m (8,200 ft) in northern Colombia, up to 400 m (1,300 ft) in Peru, and up to at least 1,300 m (4,300 ft) and possibly 1,700 m (5,600 ft) in Ecuador.