Who doesn’t adore hummingbirds? They’re little, nimble, and awfully cute. Watching their rapidly beating wings is hypnotic, and their colorful bodies make them a favorite for bird watchers.
As one of the darlings of the bird kingdom, the tiny creatures often receive attention from humans in the form of bird feeders, special nectar just for them. One fan and avid YouTube poster who goes by the name “Blueskeye” set up a feeder for a pair of Anna’s hummingbirds.
Anna’s hummingbirds are not the property of some lady named Anna, but a species that is native to the west coast here in the U.S. Fun fact: these birds can slow their metabolism, allowing them to preserve energy, which is especially useful at night and during winter.
Several hummingbird species usually fly south to much warmer climates, but others linger here in the states. Arizona is a popular winter destination for the birds that don’t migrate to Mexico or other warmer locales.
In 2011, Blueskeye shot the video below of the twosome, nicknamed Rocky and Adrian. Apparently, they’ve been regular visitors to this guy’s place in Sedona, Arizona for years, and we can’t blame them. As is common with hummingbird lovers, he’d look out for the birds all year by leaving food in a special hummingbird feeder.
That year, winter in Sedona brought cold temps and issues with frozen food. Though Blueskeye took steps to bring the feeders in at night, mornings could still be very frigid. He noted that his habit was to always leave the feeder out at first light to avoid freezing, as the food would ice up within an hour.
One exceptionally cold morning, Blueskeye took the time to put the birdfeeder on a heating pad. The little birds would be welcomed with a non-icy meal upon their arrival. He looked out the window and saw Rocky and Adrian having their morning cup o’ sugar-water. Instead of them hovering at the feeding station, they were actually seated on the heating pad. Guess they were enjoying the warm service!
Just try to picture two tiny birds – a guy and a girl – toughing out the chill of winter in a carport. Could you do it? It doesn’t end with cocktails on the heating pad either. Watch the video to see how long Rocky and Adrian stuck around and what else they did while hanging out with their bud.
What a kind and compassionate man he is to show this level of love to nature! Unsurprisingly, scientists note that hummingbirds can remember the location of their food sources. What is a bit surprising, though, is that research has shown they can remember and recognize humans too. So it’s likely that just as Blueskeye will have memories of these encounters for life, Rocky and Adrian will too.
Like Blueskeye, folks have been keeping feeders warm by rigging up contraptions that include the use of Christmas lights, terrarium heaters, and actual heated feeders. How cool!
Have you forged any relationships with the local wildlife in your neighborhood? Do you count hummingbirds in your circle of friends too? Share with us in the comments!