Built to Perfection

     They were given the ability to move like lightning, hover on the wind, remember food sources from years past, and fear less than we do. But their awkward bill, half the length of their entire body, appears to be a mistake by appearance. How is it possible to move with such agility and feed with such precision? 
     I observed and captured a young Ruby-throat as he stretched and contorted his body better than a gymnast. The neck of this young male stretched enough to accommodate the bill length as he poked and preened every location of the body, except the head. Then those almost non-existent feet appeared when necessary to get the locations the bill couldn't reach. 
     It's remarkable how every bird in existence not only has uniqueness and quirks about their appearance, but also the ability to maintain itself with amazing flexibility. From egg to flight in less than 4 weeks, and numerous abilities that are so far beyond our understanding. Not a mistake, not a coincidence, but built to perfection. 
​Juvenile male Ruby-throat hummingbird. N.E. of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. August 16, 2019.

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