Reddish Hermit

Small, agile, colorful and beautiful. Words that best  describe hummingbirds. They are also known as the jewels of the jungle. Their colorful feathers are best displayed when fully exposed under direct sunlight. No wonder that they also top the list of one of the most photographed wild birds. Tiny wonders that are able to bring joy to every bird or nature lover. Amazingly they use a lot more energy then other animals, energy that they constantly refill by sipping nectar and sugar water. 

In one of my previous hummingbird posts I already introduced the smallest hummingbird: the Amethyst Woodstar. Exciting as always it is my privilege to introduce the second smallest hummingbird of Kabalebo: the Reddish Hermit.

Both the Amethyst Woodstar and the Reddish Hermit share some similarities:
- they're both smaller then a cigarette pack
- both weigh less then 3 grams
- both make bumblebee sounds with their wings


Unlike the Amethyst Woodstar the Reddish Hermit is more common in Kabalebo, but still difficult to spot .... let alone photograph. Most of the times I spotted the Reddish Hermits on Inga trees, attracted by the blossoming flowers ..... along side the river. Because of its bumblebee size and sound I always needed a second good look to spot it. By the time  you noticed it, it was always too late. Either the hummingbird took off or the boat just passed by too fast.

They say patience is a virtue and mine was finally rewarded on July 2, 2014. The Reddish Hermit was attracted by the blossoming flowers near the lodge. Just like the other hummingbirds it got closer and closer, not bothered by human presence. The only thing the Reddish hermit was so focused on was to get as close as possible to the nectar.