Sooty-capped Hermit (Phaethornis augusti) [XC782016]
by Carlos Verea from El Hatillo (near Caracas), El Hatillo, Miranda, Venezuela (call)
Sooty-capped Hermit (Phaethornis augusti) [XC254135]
by Daniel de Jesus Garcia from Altamira Edo Barinas, Venezuela (call)
Subspecies
Forms superspecies with Planalto Hermit (Phaethornis pretrei). Includes "Phaethornis fumosus", based on melanistic specimen of nominate. Colombian birds described as subspecies vicarius do not differ from nominate.
The following 3 subspecies are recognised:
curiosus Wetmore, 1956 - Santa Marta Mts (northern Colombia).
augusti (Bourcier, 1847) - Eastern Andes and Macarena Mts (Colombia), and coastal Cordillera (Venezuela).
incanescens (Simon, 1921) - Isolated mountains of southern Venezuela and western Guyana.