California hummingbird beaks transformed by feeders: ‘more tapered and longer’

Study details evolutionary change of Anna’s hummingbirds and finds ranges have expanded to follow such devicesWhich came first: the feeder or the bird?A seemingly straightforward question, but the answer might not be so simple. According to a recently published study in Global Change Biology, the use of human-made hummingbird feeders has changed the beak sizes and shapes of Anna’s hummingbirds, and spread their range from a narrow pocket of California all the way up the coast to British Columbia. Continue reading...

May 23, 2025 - 11:26
 0
California hummingbird beaks transformed by feeders: ‘more tapered and longer’

Study details evolutionary change of Anna’s hummingbirds and finds ranges have expanded to follow such devices

Which came first: the feeder or the bird?

A seemingly straightforward question, but the answer might not be so simple. According to a recently published study in Global Change Biology, the use of human-made hummingbird feeders has changed the beak sizes and shapes of Anna’s hummingbirds, and spread their range from a narrow pocket of California all the way up the coast to British Columbia. Continue reading...