Saw-billed Hermit Ramphodon naevius Scientific name definitions

The Saw-billed Hermit is a large, boldly patterned hermit and is one of the three heaviest hermits. It is endemic to the understory of humid forest in southeast Brazil and employ’s a trap-line foraging strategy feeding on the nectar of long-tubed flowers with a steady blooming rate. Though a hermit, and thus fairly drab for a hummingbird, it is boldly patterned with a striking rufous cheek patch contrasting with a dark mask and coarsely streaked underparts, in its range, it is unlikely to be cause confusion.

14–16 cm; 5·3–9 g (1 Grantsau, R. (1988). Os Beija-flores do Brasil. Expressão e Cultura, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Close ) (mean 8·2 g in one study) (2 Sazima, I., Buzato, S. and Sazima, M. (1995). The Saw-billed Hermit Ramphodon naevius and its flowers in southeastern Brazil. Journal of Ornithology. 136(2): 195–206. Close ). A large hummingbird; with Eutoxeres, one of the three heaviest hermits. Easily distinguishable from Androdon aequatorialis, the only other hummingbird with prominent saw-like serration of the mandibles, and, in adult male , a hooked tip  to the upper mandible, by rufous-ochraceous throat with dark gular stripe. Bill almost straight. Male larger than female, with longer wings and tail  (means: 158 mm versus 138 mm and 77 mm versus 68 mm, respectively) (1 Grantsau, R. (1988). Os Beija-flores do Brasil. Expressão e Cultura, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Close ), broader central rectrices and more contrasting coloration of underparts. Female has bill shorter, slightly decurved, and without hooked tip  . Immature similar to adults, but with pale fringing to feathers of upperparts.

SE Brazil (S Minas Gerais and Espírito Santo to E Santa Catarina; also noted in Rio Grande do Sul).

Understorey of humid littoral forest up to 500 m.

No reliable information available. Presumably sedentary, although some authors have speculated that the species might make short-range movements in some areas (2 Sazima, I., Buzato, S. and Sazima, M. (1995). The Saw-billed Hermit Ramphodon naevius and its flowers in southeastern Brazil. Journal of Ornithology. 136(2): 195–206. Close ).

Nectar of long-tubed flowers  with steady-state blooming, mainly epiphytes  and herbs (2 Sazima, I., Buzato, S. and Sazima, M. (1995). The Saw-billed Hermit Ramphodon naevius and its flowers in southeastern Brazil. Journal of Ornithology. 136(2): 195–206. Close ); recorded at Justicia (Acanthaceae), Aechmea, Billbergia, Neoregelia, Nidularium, Quesnelia, Vriesea (Bromeliaceae), Costus (Costaceae), Dahlstedtia, Erythrina (Fabaceae), Nematanthus (Gesneriaceae), Heliconia (Heliconiaceae), Centropogon (Lobeliaceae), Psychotria (Rubiaceae) and others, among them non-native species such as Musa coccinea and Malvaviscus arboreus, with a total of 24 species recorded during one study, in which most visited flowers were up to 6 m above ground, although nectar sources up to 15 m above ground were occasionally sought (2 Sazima, I., Buzato, S. and Sazima, M. (1995). The Saw-billed Hermit Ramphodon naevius and its flowers in southeastern Brazil. Journal of Ornithology. 136(2): 195–206. Close ). Two additional, canopy-level, species—Spirotheca rivieri (Malvaceae) and Schwartzia brasiliensis (Marcgraviaceae)—were visited by R. naevius during a more recent study (3 Rocca, M.A. and Sazima, M. (2008). Ornithophilous canopy species in the Atlantic rain forest of southeastern Brazil. J. Field Orn. 79(2): 130–137. Close ), and an additional exotic, Carica papaya (Caricaceae), has also been recorded being visited by this species (4 Legal, E. (2007). O beija-flor-cinza, Aphantochroa cirrochloris, e seu comportamento territorial no mamoeiro (Caricaceae: Carica papaya). Atualidades Ornitológicas. 138: 22. Close ) Small arthropods are mostly gleaned from vegetation. Like other hermit hummingbirds it is a trap-lining plant visitor, but it behaves aggressively over its feeding routes, which often follow small streams or paths (2 Sazima, I., Buzato, S. and Sazima, M. (1995). The Saw-billed Hermit Ramphodon naevius and its flowers in southeastern Brazil. Journal of Ornithology. 136(2): 195–206. Close ), excluding conspecifics as well as other hummingbirds (e.g. Glaucis hirsutus, Phaethornis eurynome, P. ruber, Hylocharis cyanus and Thalurania glaucopis), which species are capable of acquiring nectar from at least some of the same foodplants as R. naevius (2 Sazima, I., Buzato, S. and Sazima, M. (1995). The Saw-billed Hermit Ramphodon naevius and its flowers in southeastern Brazil. Journal of Ornithology. 136(2): 195–206. Close ). Visits by the same individual to the same plant are rather infrequent, typically 50–60 minutes apart, but at certain flowers may be visited only has half as frequently (2 Sazima, I., Buzato, S. and Sazima, M. (1995). The Saw-billed Hermit Ramphodon naevius and its flowers in southeastern Brazil. Journal of Ornithology. 136(2): 195–206. Close ).

High-pitched “tsk tsuk tsuk tsuk” (1 Grantsau, R. (1988). Os Beija-flores do Brasil. Expressão e Cultura, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Close ) calls often given in flight while following trap-lining route are apparently used to warn off intruders (both conspecifics and other species of hummingbirds; see Food and feeding) (2 Sazima, I., Buzato, S. and Sazima, M. (1995). The Saw-billed Hermit Ramphodon naevius and its flowers in southeastern Brazil. Journal of Ornithology. 136(2): 195–206. Close ).

Gonadal activity indicates breeding Jul and Sept (São Paulo). Nest  is loosely constructed, cone-shaped cup of plant material and cobwebs, attached to the underside tip of a long, pendent leaf; 190 mm top to bottom, with an external diameter of 65 mm and an internal diameter of 50 mm (1 Grantsau, R. (1988). Os Beija-flores do Brasil. Expressão e Cultura, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Close ). Two eggs  , measuring 19 mm × 11·5 mm; mass 1·1 g (1 Grantsau, R. (1988). Os Beija-flores do Brasil. Expressão e Cultura, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Close ). Post-natal growth rate of 21·4 days to acquire 80% of body mass in one study (5 Freymann, B. P., and K.-L. Schuchmann (2008). Postnatal growth rates of hummingbirds: review and new records Wilson Journal of Ornithology 120(4):884–887. Close ), and fledging period elsewhere stated to be 20–23 days (1 Grantsau, R. (1988). Os Beija-flores do Brasil. Expressão e Cultura, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Close ). No further information.

Not globally threatened. CITES II. Currently considered Near Threatened. Restricted-range species: present in Atlantic Forest Lowlands EBA. At least locally common, but habitat destruction may be a threat in future. Single record from Rio Grande do Sul, dating back to 1930.