Rufous-breasted Hermit

Glaucis hirsuta hirsuta

The red-tailed Hermit ( Glaucis hirsutus ) or Red- shadow Hummingbird is a hummingbird from South America. In addition to the nominate Glaucis hirsuta hirsuta of East Columbia, West Venezuela, eastern Ecuador and northern Peru, the subspecies is Glaucis h insularum of Trinidad and Tobago and Grenada distinguished.

Description

The total length of the hummingbird is about twelve inches. The weight is about seven grams, the length of the strong, long and curved beak about three inches. The lower mandible is yellow with black tip. Males and females are difficult to distinguish.

The male is on its upper surface shiny metallic olive green, dark brown at the crown. About the eye there is an indicated light strip, while under the eye of a cream colored reins is visible and the ear area dark gray. The throat, chin, chest and the sides of the abdomen are reddish brown, while the belly itself is dashed gray brown. The tail is rounded. The central feathers are shiny bronze-green and wearing a black transverse band before the white tips ( Subterminalband ). Their ends are pointed. The remaining tail feathers, however, are red-brown, but also have white tips and a black Subterminalband.

The beak of the female shows a slightly more pronounced curvature. The reddish brown of the breast is less strongly pronounced and hardly distinguishable to the belly plumage. The ends of the central feathers are rounded.

Young birds have rust-colored feather edges in the region of the spinal plumage.

A similar type is the Erzeremit ( Glaucis Aenea ), which is common in Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia and Ecuador. The species is slightly smaller than the Red-tailed hermit and maroon on its entire underside.

Distribution and habitat

The red-tailed Hermit is spread in an area of ​​Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, Guyana and Brazil. The species is found in tropical and subtropical zones to about 1500 meters altitude. The bird preferred ground-level areas of rain forests to river banks and roadsides.

Status

The red-tailed Hermit is considered not at risk ( least concern ). The described taxon Threnetes 1973 grzimeki ( Augusto Ruschi in honor of Bernhard Grzimek named) is now regarded as immatures male of the red-tailed Eremits.