It's not all peace and love in this Arizona winter garden. The decreasing blossoms are coveted by a steadily increasing number of hungry hummingbirds.
The remaining flowers are violently fought over, all be it on a minute scale.
For such a tiny bird, hummingbirds have an oversized appetite for fighting.
They will even take on a bird a hundred times their size. This Cooper's Hawk gets an escort while only passing through this Anna's Hummingbird's territory.
There isn't a hint of hawk anxiety or thoughts of changing course. The hummingbird's nerve is commendable.
Confronting intruders with your head on fire is this Costa's preferred offense. Most times it works. They are colorful, quick and oh so agile.
If flowers are worth fighting over and that seems to be so, the hummingbirds have staked out their claim on this garden.
It likely to get harder and harder to defend though, as winter in Arizona marches on.
Allan
Credits: Cornell Lab of Ornithology, All About Birds
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