So _that's_ why they call them firecrowns!

[Carnivore]

I just got back from vacation to the South of Chile. I got a lot of great photos during the trip--here's a sample from the Bed and Breakfast where we stayed in Villarrica.

The males can lift up their head feathers to flash the orange color. These are really tame because the hosts of the B&B have been feeding them for about 10 years.

 

[Emmett]

I've never seen so many in one picture! Very cool.

 

[DSB]

Very cool.

 

[Carnivore]

I've never seen so many in one picture! Very cool.

That's not even crowded for this place! The feeder was oddly shaded, so sometimes there wasn't enough light for good photos, but there were times when there were 12-15 birds on that feeder, taking turns at the nectar ports.

 

[John C]

awesome shots!!

 

[r0ckrat]

I've never seen them get along so well! Up here, they are very territorial and are always chasing each other off the feeders. We only get a few kinds, none with a crown, but all with throat plumage.

 

[Carnivore]

I've never seen them get along so well! Up here, they are very territorial and are always chasing each other off the feeders. We only get a few kinds, none with a crown, but all with throat plumage.

My parents have ruby-throats, and they said the same thing.

I can only assume that since they've been fed for generations, these have just stopped fighting for territory. Interestingly, there is another feeder on the other side of the window that gets very little traffic.