Saw-billed Hermit
Ramphodon naevius
The Saw-billed Hermit (Ramphodon naevius) is a rare hummingbird found only in Brazil, weighing about 8 g. The saw-billed hermit is a hummingbird in the family Trochilidae.
About the Saw-billed Hermit
The saw-billed hermit is a hummingbird in the family Trochilidae. It is endemic to Brazil.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The saw-billed hermit is 14 to 16 cm (5.5 to 6.3 in) long and weighs 5.3 to 9 g (0.19 to 0.32 oz). It is one of the three heaviest hermits and the male is heavier than the female. Both sexes have saw-like serrations on the mandible and the male's bill has a hooked tip as well. (The unrelated tooth-billed hummingbird (Androdon aequatorialis) is the only other hummingbird that has a serrated bill.) Both sexes have scaly brown upperparts and dark and pale striped underparts. They have a reddish ochre throat, a dark patch through the eye, and a white supercilium. Voice: The saw-billed hermit's song is a "very high, chattering twitter". Calls include "a sustained, rapid series of very high 'bic' notes" and "a descending series...of 'seee' notes." The calls are apparently used while defending the trap-line.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Saw-billed Hermit can be seen all year round, with peak activity in May. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Saw-billed Hermit?
- The saw-billed hermit is 14 to 16 cm (5.5 to 6.3 in) long and weighs 5.3 to 9 g (0.19 to 0.32 oz). Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Saw-billed Hermit?
- The Saw-billed Hermit is a tiny sized bird weighing about 8 g.
- Where can you see a Saw-billed Hermit?
- The Saw-billed Hermit is endemic to Brazil, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to a Saw-billed Hermit?
- The Saw-billed Hermit is most easily confused with the Blue-tufted Starthroat, the White-chinned Sapphire and the Green-throated Mountaingem.
- Is the Saw-billed Hermit endangered?
- The Saw-billed Hermit is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Saw-billed Hermit for real
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