Birds & Birding in Costa Rica: – Costa Rica’s national motto and tourism slogan, “La Pura Vida” loosely translates to Live Life or Enjoy Life. With over 900 bird species recorded here, there is certainly lots to enjoy! With 12 of the world’s 18 life zones, its diverse landscapes, including tropical rainforests, cloud forests, mangroves, and savannas, provide habitat for a wide range of iconic birds A Reflections of the Natural World Blog Post Series by Jim Gain
LONG-BILLED HERMIT – (Species Account Blog #26)
ABOUT THIS SPECIES
TAXONOMIC TREE:
- ORDER: Caprimulgiformes,
- FAMILY: Trochilidae,
- BINOMIAL NAME: Phaethornis longirostris
Long-billed Hermits inhabit forest understory, second growth, and plantations where they are particularly fond of edges and steams. These large hummingbirds gather nectar from widely dispersed flowers and also catch spiders and insects. Males gather in leks, sometimes composed of as many as 25 individuals, and sing incessantly from low perches in the understory. These hermits have distinctive facial striping, a long, decurved bill, and white extensions to their central tail feathers. (from Birds of the World)
OBSERVATION ANECDOTES
Generally a low elevation feeder-visiting hummingbird, the Long-billed Hermit certainly stands out with its smaller size and very long decurved bill. I first encountered this species in Belize and Guatemala before we saw it in Costa Rica at Carara NP and in the Caribbean lowlands at the Chilamate Rainforest Eco Retreat near Sarapiqui.
PHOTO GALLERY
BIRDS & BIRDING IN COSTA RICA WEBSITE LINK: Long-billed Hermit
View the three most recent Birds & Birding in Costa Rica series blog posts below.
- A Streak-headed Woodcreeper Feeds its Offspring Near the Arenal Observatory Lodge, Costa Rica
- PALE-BILLED WOODPECKER – Pura Vida Birds and Birding
- SMOKY-BROWN WOODPECKER – Pura Vida Birds and Birding
- HOFFMANN’S WOODPECKER – Pura Vida Birds and Birding
- BLACK-CHEEKED WOODPECKER – Pura Vida Birds and Birding
Reflections of the Natural World 
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