This is Bird Note.

Many flowers roll out the red carpet for desired visitors like hummingbirds and bumblebees

with bright colors and petals that act as landing pads. But flowers are sometimes victims of nectar thieves. Species that bypass

the flowers' intended root to nectar without picking up any pollen. Tennessee warblers might not

look like crafty robbers. They're tiny yellowish songbirds with a white stripe over their eyes,

but they specialize in hacking into flowers.

With their short, sharp bills,

they tap a hole into the flower's base

and enjoy an easy meal as nectar drips out.

Tennessee warblers do most of their nectar drinking in tropical forests on their

wintering grounds. During the breeding season in North America, insects are their most

important food source. In fact, these warblers may help protect trees from spruce budworm.

When there's a budworm outbreak, Tennessee warblers eat almost nothing else.

So these nectar thieves give back to their ecosystems in their own way.

For bird note, I'm Michael Stein.

Tom and Annalie Lumen celebrate Bird Note with today's show.

They believe Bird Note stories are a magical doorway to nature and all of its wonders.