Scale-throated Hermit

About the Scale-throated Hermit

The scale-throated hermit (Phaethornis eurynome) is a species in the hummingbird family Trochilidae. It is found in Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay. Though the scale-throated hermit is a member of the large genus Phaethornis it seems to have no close relatives. It has two subspecies, the nominate P. e. eurynome and P. e. paraguayensis. A third proposed subspecies, P. e. pinheiroi, has not been accepted by most taxonomists. The supposed "black-billed hermit", described as P. nigrirostris, was proven to be a mutant P. eurynome with an all-black bill.

The scale-throated hermit is about 14 to 14.5 cm (5.5 to 5.7 in) long. Males weigh 4.5 to 6 g (0.16 to 0.21 oz) and females 4 to 5 g (0.14 to 0.18 oz). This medium-sized hermit is olive green above with grayish underparts. Its dark throat whose feathers have lighter edges give the eponymous scaly appearance. The face has a black "mask" with a pale supercilium and gular stripe. Its tail feathers have white tips and the middle pair are longer than the others. The sexes are similar but the female has shorter wings and a less strongly decurved bill. The two subspecies have identical plumage but... Wikipedia →