Some hummingbirds are designed for fighting

Some hummingbirds are designed for fighting Today’s Video of the Day from the University of California, Berkeley provides new insight into the behavior of hummingbirds.

Some hummingbirds have bills that are designed perfectly for sipping nectar.

The researchers discovered, however, that the bills of male hummingbirds in the South American tropics are designed for much more aggressive behaviors, such as biting, pulling, and fighting.

According to the experts, the tropical male hummingbirds likely evolved more rugged features in response to competition in the jungle for food and mates. Yes, there is some species of hummingbirds that fight other species for dominance. One example is the Rufous species who will fend off the Anna’s, Broad-tailed, Calliope and Black-chinned hummingbirds.

Hummingbirds fight to defend their food supply and the food supply of their offspring. However, if this fighting spoils your enjoyment when watching hummingbirds, there are things you can do. First, remember that the birds have the fastest metabolism of any bird. Nectar is the end result of all fighting. Bear in mind that displays of aggression can be incredibly common in spring, rufous hummingbirds can continue being angry and fight-prone well into the fall. This is also true of any hummingbird that is gearing up for migration. Wintering birds tend to be more adaptable to the local climate and less likely to fight over perceived shortages. Some hummingbirds are designed for fighting as shown above in video, it will show you the technique they use.

The study is published in the journal Integrative Organismal Biology.

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By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer

Video Credit: UC Berkeley