Posted by Racer on May 20, 2004, at 11:53:16
Yes, aside from insomnia, anxiety, depression, hopelessness, etc, we have a hummingbird feeder. My husband brought one home a week ago, and we have it hanging outside on the balcony. I can see it from here, and I see it when I'm outside for a cigarette. (No smoking in the house.) The cat seems to like it -- "his" cat, not "MINE" -- and I'm always interested, when I can be, in animal behavior.
So, I've noticed that the birds come one at a time for the most part, and that there seems to be one bird that chases others away if he/she finds another there. The others come back, but seem extra vigilant. The one who chases the others sticks around longer, and I think is bringing one other bird by now and again for a few sips. Mind you, I'm basing this identification of the "One Bird" on basic body shape. It could be that there are several birds coming by and chasing the others away. But it's got me curious about hummingbirds and territoriality.
You know, we tend to think that creatures we find attractive are pleasant critters. (My old doctor used to lecture me about keeping cats: "People think they're cute and furry, but they're PREDATORS!" Yeah, Doc, and only partially domesticated. That might be why women like them better than most men do. A symbol of the freedom and independance of our inner natures, so rarely nurtured in the outer world.) Hummingbirds are such amazing animals, I guess I think of them as being somehow 'nice' -- soft, easy going, delicate, non-aggressive, all the 'nice' attributes. It never occurred to me before to question that.
(And isn't it nice to have something outside myself to think about? Please don't ask about the rest of my life, right now.)
poster:Racer
thread:348862
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/2000/20040501/msgs/348862.html