Watch: Videos Show Hummingbirds Jousting Like Medieval Knights in Rare Mating

The green hermit hummingbird is usually admired for precision—its long bill perfectly matched to tropical flowers. But during mating season, that same tool turns brutal. New research shows male green hermits use their sharper, straighter bills to fight rivals in midair jousts that can turn deadly. The study reframes a familiar evolutionary story: what looks like a feeding adaptation is also a weapon, shaped as much by competition and aggression as by nectar and blooms. Read the full article at Scientific American and watch nature’s joisting display just below.

Sara Novak

Scientific American

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