Cinnamon-throated Hermit Phaethornis nattereri Scientific name definitions

The Cinnamon-throated Hermit is similar to many other of the smaller hermits in having principally tawny-colored underparts, a dark face mask, green wings and browner upperparts, with a white-tipped tail. Two populations are known; one in northeast Brazil and the other in easternmost Bolivia and adjacent southwestern Brazil, but it seems probable that the species is more or less continuously distributed in well-vegetated pre-Amazonian habitats across the central plateau of Brazil. Confusion, which still reigns to some extent in discussions concerning the taxonomy of these small hermits, led to the northeastern birds being described recently as a new species, Phaethornis ‘maranhaoensis’, but subsequent research has demonstrated this name to be erroneously based on the male of Phaethornis nattereri. Very little is known about the species’ biology, although what we do know, for instance concerning its trap-lining foraging habits, are commensurate with the behaviour of closely related taxa. The Cinnamon-throated Hermit is unquestionably of rather local occurrence, but it is probably not rare.

10 cm; 2·5–3 g. Small ­hermit  , smaller and paler brown  than <em>P. squalidus</em> and <em>P. subochraceus</em> , but larger than most congeners; has ochraceous undertail-coverts. Throat coloration in adult male more intense than in female, but not as dark as in the dark-throated species <em>P. longuemareus</em> , P. rupurumii, P. idaliae and P. atrimentalis. Central rectrices of adult male pointed and thus similar to those species, not rounded as in the remainder. With these, P. ruber, P. stuarti, P. atrimentalis, P. striigularis and P. griseo­gularis, shares elongated reddish unbanded uppertail-coverts. Female same size as adult male, differing by lighter throat and longer central rectrices. Juvenile resembles adult female.

E Bolivia and adjacent SW Brazil (Mato Grosso and E Rondônia); NE Brazil (Maranhão to Ceará, and also recorded in SE Pará and Tocantins).

Nectar  of Pavonia, Helicteres, Ruellia, Bauhinia and other flowering plants, as well as small arthropods. Feeds by trap-lining.

Song  is a high-pitched phrase repeated incessantly without pauses between phrases, at a rate of c. 1 phrase per 2–2·5 seconds. Phrase typically consists of some 3–5 similar single notes and ends in 1–3 lower-pitched, sometimes quite nasal-sounding, notes with a rhythmic pattern, e.g. “tsee ... tsee ... tsee ... nya-ka-wee”.

Only information available requires corroboration. Nest reportedly attached to underside of palm leaf; height 140 mm, external diameter 45 mm and internal diameter 28 mm (2 Grantsau, R. (1988). Os Beija-flores do Brasil. Expressão e Cultura, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Close ).

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). CITES II. Poorly known, and should perhaps be classed as Data Deficient. Perhaps locally common. In Brazil, occurs in Chapada dos Guimarães National Park (Mato Grosso), Serra da Capivara National Park (Piauí) (3 Olmos, F., and C. Albano (2012). As aves da região do Parque Nacional Serra da Capivara (Piauí, Brasil). Revista Brasileira de Ornitologia 20(3):173–187. Close ) and in dry woodlands of Cantão State Park (Tocantins). Sometimes also reported as occurring along lower R Amazon in Pará, although validity of reports doubtful. Rare in scientific collections.