Male-like plumage helps female hummingbirds avoid harassment at feeders
By
Maja Mielke
Summary
The article explores the evolutionary reasons why some female White-necked Jacobin hummingbirds display male-like plumage. It discusses sexual dimorphism in hummingbirds and presents the hypothesis that male-like coloration in females helps them avoid social harassment from other hummingbirds, allowing them better access to food sources. The piece is based on observations from the Panama Hummingbird Feeder Cam by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Source
bskyMale-like plumage helps female hummingbirds avoid harassment at feedersbeaksandbones.substack.comKey quotes
· 3 pulledWhat you can't tell from the footage, though, is that not all hummingbirds that look like males are actually males.
The White-necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora) is a species of hummingbird from Central and South America.
As is typical for hummingbirds, it is sexually dimorphic.
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