Green Hermit

Green Hermits are found in a variety of habitats, both pristine and human-altered. They specialize in relatively large flowers, like the heliconias in the second photo, not surprising given the length of their long, curved bills. They also hut for small arthropods and spiders. The first of these photos is a male from the Hummingbird Gallery near Monteverde on 5 July. The second photo is a female from the Arenal Observatory, where we stayed a few days later. Their long, white central tail feathers are not clearly visible in either photograph.

Like many other species, they forage by trap-lining, making a regular route to favorite flowers. As do many of the other hummingbirds we saw, hermits form leks during the breeding season. Females, in quick succession, mate with multiple males. Curiously, at their leks, males often perform false-matings with small pieces of vegetation (Cornell).