Buff-bellied hermit facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Buff-bellied hermit |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Apodiformes |
| Family: | Trochilidae |
| Genus: | Phaethornis |
| Species: |
P. subochraceus
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| Binomial name | |
| Phaethornis subochraceus Todd, 1915
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The buff-bellied hermit (Phaethornis subochraceus) is a fascinating type of hummingbird. These tiny birds are known for their long, thin beaks and quick, darting flight. You can find them living in parts of Bolivia and Brazil.
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About the Buff-bellied Hermit
What is a Buff-bellied Hermit?
The buff-bellied hermit is a special kind of bird in the Trochilidae family. This family includes all the different kinds of hummingbirds. Scientists group animals together based on how they are related. The buff-bellied hermit is closely related to other hummingbirds like the sooty-capped hermit and the planalto hermit. It's a unique species, meaning it doesn't have any subspecies.
What Does It Look Like?
This small bird is about 11 to 12 cm (4.3 to 4.7 in) long. That's about the length of a pen! It weighs only 3.5 to 4 g (0.12 to 0.14 oz), which is lighter than a single coin.
The buff-bellied hermit has shiny, metallic green feathers on its back and head. Its belly and underside are a warm, yellowish-brown color, which is where it gets the "buff-bellied" part of its name. The two feathers in the very middle of its tail are longer than the others. All its tail feathers have white tips.
Where Do They Live?
You can find the buff-bellied hermit in South America. They live in the eastern foothills of the Andean mountains in Bolivia. Specifically, they are found in the Beni and Santa Cruz areas. They also live in the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul. Sometimes, a lost bird might even be seen in Paraguay.
These hummingbirds like to live in the lower parts of forests. They can be found in different types of woodlands. This includes forests where trees lose their leaves, or where some leaves stay on all year. They also live in younger forests that are growing back, open woodlands, and areas with lots of shrubs. They usually live at elevations from 150 to 800 m (490 to 2,600 ft) above sea level.
Buff-bellied Hermit Behavior
How Do They Move Around?
Scientists have watched buff-bellied hermits in eastern Bolivia. So far, they haven't seen these birds travel long distances. This suggests they might stay in the same area for most of their lives.
What Do They Eat?
Like many hummingbirds, the buff-bellied hermit loves to drink nectar. Nectar is a sweet liquid found in flowers. They visit many different kinds of flowering plants to get their food. Besides nectar, they also eat small arthropods. These are tiny creatures like insects or spiders.
How Do They Have Babies?
The exact time when buff-bellied hermits have their babies isn't fully known. However, observations suggest they might breed during the wet season. This season usually runs from November to April.
Male buff-bellied hermits gather together in special spots called leks. At these leks, the males perform displays to attract females. It's like a special meeting place for them to find a mate. The nests of these birds have not yet been found or described by scientists.
What Do They Sound Like?
The buff-bellied hermit has a unique song. It's a high-pitched sound that they repeat over and over. Their song can be a simple "tsi-tsew" or a more complex "tsi-tsi-tseeé-euw." It's a continuous sound that helps them communicate.
Conservation Status
Is the Buff-bellied Hermit in Danger?
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) is an organization that checks on animal populations. They have listed the buff-bellied hermit as a species of "Least Concern." This means they are not currently considered to be in immediate danger of disappearing.
However, scientists don't know exactly how many buff-bellied hermits there are. They believe the number of these birds might be slowly going down. Even though they are common in some places, they are not well-studied. Some experts think they should perhaps be listed as "Data Deficient." This means there isn't enough information to know their true status.
 | James Van Der Zee |
 | Alma Thomas |
 | Ellis Wilson |
 | Margaret Taylor-Burroughs |
