Aug 27

Written by: glendajoy
8/27/2008 6:47 PM

There is no easy way to say this.  Hummingbirds are mean.  Mean, vicious, selfish little critters.  

When I set out to photograph them a few years ago, I thought they were the most intricately beautiful, dainty creatures that God made.  I still think they are beautiful.  But, very mean.

You know that big, long beak they have?  They use it as a weapon.  They stab each other like they were in a sword fight.  All for sugar water.  And the sad news is that there is plenty for all of them.  And as soon as it runs out, we fill up the feeder.  So it is not like they are going to starve.  Usually one of two of them, perch close to the feeder and dive bomb any unsuspecting hummer that happens by to take a drink.

And if that doesn't deter them.  They use their wings and crash into them.  In mid air!  It looks like sky roller derby.  Not dainty at all.

When I am out on the deck taking pictures, a few brave ones have even buzzed very close to my head.  Then, I give them 'the look'.  The look that says 'if you even think about it, I will tie your long slender beak in a very neat knot if you so much as touch me'.  Usually, they just fly off.

Have you ever seen a hummingbird's tongue?  They are too wierd.  They come shooting out the end of their beak at a moment's notice.  I reckon that is how they get the sugar water out of the feeder.  I thought maybe they just stuck their beak in it and inhaled!

In all fairness to them, though, they are still amazing little creatures.  The pattern on their wings is unbelievable.  They must have been patterned after angels.  And the red feathers on the throat of some (probably males), is irridescent.  When the sun hits it just right, it literally glows.

Last year, I took a picture of one that had a red design on his (or her) throat.  Where it is usually just solid red, this was in the shape of a little red question mark.  Looked like the Riddler (the old one that used to be in the Batman TV program a hundred years ago). =)

So, there it is.  In the interest of educating the public for the common good, I have shared all that I know about hummingbirds.  That took about 2 minutes!

Copyright ©2008 glenda clark

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