Black-throated Hermit

About the Black-throated Hermit

The black-throated hermit (Phaethornis atrimentalis) is a species of hummingbird in the family Trochilidae. It is found in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. The black-throated hermit was for a time considered a subspecies of little hermit (P. longuemareus), but is more closely related to the reddish hermit (P. ruber) and grey-chinned hermit (P. griseogularis). It has two subspecies, the nominate P. a. atrimentalis and P. a. riojae.

The black-chinned hermit is about 9 to 10 cm (3.5 to 3.9 in) long, with P. a. riojae being larger than the nominate. The species has generally greenish upperparts with a reddish rump and a white-tipped dark tail. The throat is dark brown and the rest of the underparts cinnamon red but for whitish undertail coverts. Males often have a dark band between the throat and breast. Females are similar to males but their throat is lighter and they generally have longer wings.

The nominate subspecies of black-chinned hermit is found in the eastern Andes of Colombia, Ecuador, and northern Peru's Loreto department. P. a. riojae is found further south, in central Peru between the departments of... Wikipedia →