Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds

When you are only two inches high, protecting your special patch of flowers for your food source becomes a demanding job; you are always on duty. Sitting nearby, you must be ever vigilant for intruders, which must be immediately chased off. North America’s only breeding hummingbirds, the Ruby-Throated belongs to the taxonomic order, the Apodiformes, meaning “without feet.” They have feet, but they only use them to perch, as seen here. They do not spend much time on the ground, or walking along tree branches. Instead, they perch, watch, and then take flight—chasing off interlopers who might steal a sip of their private stock.

Music: “EcstasyX” by Jason Shaw

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