As this photo clearly demonstrates, the hummingbird found in California is known to be predatory, and to consume small amphibians. In this shot, we see our subject clutching a small tree-frog, which has been anchored to something, so that we could catch the hummingbird in the act. They are notoriously cagey about allowing others to see them engaged in this behavior – perhaps because their mouthparts are quite insufficient to the task, and the act of eating is more of an act of supreme slurping.
OK, enough fun. I just couldn’t resist, though, when I happened across this picture. It’s difficult to shoot these guys, because they are so cagey about being photographed. But, moving slowly, I was able to get close enough to have him pose for quite some time atop the wind-chime. He’s also posed atop another wind-chime (a ceramic finch) which is only a few feet away from this one. Both of the chimes are about a foot away from the feeder, which is why he’s sitting there: guarding the food. Not predating frogs. Maybe.
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.