The saw-billed hermit is a hummingbird in the family Trochilidae. It is endemic to Brazil.
Region
Brazilian Atlantic Forest
Typical Environment
Occurs in humid evergreen and semi-deciduous forests of eastern and southeastern Brazil, favoring shaded understory and ravines. It is most often found along streams, in gullies, and in dense thickets within primary forest, but may use mature secondary growth where structure is intact. The species is generally localized and tied to continuous forest cover. Fragmentation limits movement between suitable patches.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The saw-billed hermit is a large, forest-dwelling hummingbird restricted to Brazil’s Atlantic Forest and the sole species in its genus, Ramphodon. Its bill edges are finely serrated—hence the name—and males use them in aggressive sparring over resources or display areas. Like many hermits, it follows traplines between favored flowers and also takes small insects for protein.
Temperament
solitary and territorial
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with agile hovering
Social Behavior
Typically forages alone along repeatable traplines. Males may defend display areas and engage in bill-to-bill sparring. Nest is a small, cup-like or slightly elongated structure of plant fibers and spider silk suspended from the underside of drooping leaves near shaded streams. Clutch size is usually two white eggs.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Song is a rapid series of thin, buzzy notes delivered from low perches in the understory. Calls include sharp tsip or tik notes and short, insect-like trills during chases.
Plumage
Olive-brown to greenish upperparts with warm rufous underparts and a slightly darker, scaled-looking throat. Typical hermit facial pattern with a bold pale supercilium and malar stripe framing a dusky cheek. Tail relatively short with pale or whitish tips on the rectrices.
Diet
Feeds primarily on nectar from tubular flowers of understory plants such as Heliconia, Costus, and related genera. Supplements nectar with small arthropods, hawking them in short sallies or gleaning from foliage for protein. Follows regular routes (traplines) to revisit productive flowers, especially in shaded ravines.
Preferred Environment
Understory of humid forest, particularly along streams, gullies, and dense thickets where nectar sources are concentrated. Often selects flowering plants in sheltered, low-light microhabitats.
