Hummingbirds aren’t just pretty little birds. If you spend time watching them interact, you’ll quickly realize that they’re one of the feistiest birds in our region. Males in particular are fiercely protective of their breeding territories and prized flowering plants.

In fact, this competition is so intense that we thought it deserved its own sports commentary. Hence: the Sugar Dome! Broadcast by VESPN (for you non-bird nerds, that’s a pun on the banding code for Vesper’s Sparrow, VESP), and commentated by Richard Cissel (@realdickcissel) and Jay Stellers (@stellerjay).

Tune in to watch team Rufous challenge Team Broad-tailed for the access to sugar water! And when you’re done, give the hummingbirds in your own neighborhood a boost by planting some native plants.