Verdins

Another bird unique to the extreme Southwest is the Verdin. It is about the same size as the lesser goldfinch, although weighs a little less. The top photo is a young female beginning to turn to her adult plumage. The bottom photo is the male. We have many "dish type" hummingbird feeders because they do a better job of keeping bees and ants off the feeders than the more typical glass gravity fed feeders. The dish feeder is pretty much restricted to birds (or animals) with long tongues. Animals, you say? Yes, the Mexican Long Tongued Bat and Mexican Long Nose Bat feast on our feeders during their migration (August to October). The gila woodpeckers also have long tongues and are a constant user. The little Verdins, though, smell the nectar but can't get at it. So, they are constantly moving around the feeder: the bottom, the sides, the top, looking for a way to get at it. They are very cute little birds. Not as abundant as the goldfinches; maybe five or six reside here. So we love to see them.