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How Feeders Are Reshaping Hummingbirds—Literally

Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Archilochus colubris

We have so many hummingbirds at our feeder that we’re frequently going through 10-pound bags of sugar. Science magazine recently reported that feeders are driving rapid evolutionary changes in hummingbirds. Their beaks are becoming longer and more tapered, helping them extract nectar more efficiently from artificial feeders.