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Cardinal vs Hummingbird --- and the hummingbird wins



I've been catching up on old e-mail (I've only been able to spend time on
the bird mail about once every two weeks) and finally I just have to pitch
in my two cents.  All the stories about cardinals and hummers have the
cardinals as victors.  Last summer I saw almost the opposite.

A commotion right at the feeders caused me to look out.  I saw a male
Ruby-throated Hummingbird hot on the tailfeathers of a male cardinal.  I
didn't see what led to the fight but maybe it started with a cardinal
attack.  However, the tables were now turned and the hummer chased his prey
right up into a tree.  The cardinal landed and was immediately hit by the
hummer.  The cardinal fled again.  The hummer was relentless and chased the
cardinal all over the yard.  Finally, the poor fellow landed on the side of
a thick clump of leaves and literally buried his head in the clump.  The
hummer hit him a couple of times, hovered momentarily over the shaking
victim, and then left.  So, almost the opposite of the cardinals killing the
hummers, except in this case instead of killing the cardinal, the hummer
just made him wish he were dead.

Paul Shewmaker
Simpsonville, SC
paulshewmaker@charter.net