Birds Visiting Aloe Blooms

Use this forum to discuss matters relating to Aloe, Gasteria, Haworthia and related species. This is where one posts unknown plant photos for ID help.

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toditd
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Birds Visiting Aloe Blooms

#1

Post by toditd »

I once had a good clump of Aloe vera. I wish I still had these aloes. They were great spring bloomers and attracted many birds. Here are a few photos of two bird species that frequented these blooms (taken about 10 years ago). If you have any photos of birds visiting aloe blooms, please do share, I'd love to see them.
Gila Woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis) on Aloe vera bloom.
Gila Woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis) on Aloe vera bloom.
IMG_4182.jpg (37.24 KiB) Viewed 2437 times
Yum, aloe nectar!
Gila Woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis) on Aloe vera bloom.
Gila Woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis) on Aloe vera bloom.
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Gila Woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis) on Aloe vera bloom.
Gila Woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis) on Aloe vera bloom.
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Ok, what's that guy with the camera doing?
Hooded Oriole (Icterus cucullatus) on Aloe vera bloom.
Hooded Oriole (Icterus cucullatus) on Aloe vera bloom.
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He's making me nervous.
Hooded Oriole (Icterus cucullatus) on Aloe vera bloom.
Hooded Oriole (Icterus cucullatus) on Aloe vera bloom.
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I'm outta here!
Hooded Oriole (Icterus cucullatus) on Aloe vera bloom.
Hooded Oriole (Icterus cucullatus) on Aloe vera bloom.
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Spination
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Re: Birds Visiting Aloe Blooms

#2

Post by Spination »

That was some very fine photography - thanks for showing!
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toditd
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Re: Birds Visiting Aloe Blooms

#3

Post by toditd »

Thanks Spination. I was thrilled the first time I saw the orioles visiting. I first saw a female oriole visiting and I wasn't quite sure what it was. Then the male showed up. No question then as to what they were. A gorgeous bird.
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Re: Birds Visiting Aloe Blooms

#4

Post by Gee.S »

Nice shots! Gila Woodpeckers love Agave stalks too, as fertile hunting ground for delicious bugs. Yum!
Agave
"American aloe plant," 1797, from Greek Agaue, proper name in mythology (mother of Pentheus), from agauos "noble," perhaps from agasthai "wonder at".

"Some talk the talk, others walk the walk, but I stalk the stalk"
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Re: Birds Visiting Aloe Blooms

#5

Post by toditd »

Thanks Gee.S. The Gila Woodpeckers also really love oranges. I put out orange halves for them impaled on branches. In cool weather, I also make a cornmeal and peanut butter paste and poke it into holes and crevices in an old palm stump. But I gotta get it deep enough so that the finches can't get to all of it first. I haven't been able to offer them an agave stalk yet. In time. :))
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Re: Birds Visiting Aloe Blooms

#6

Post by mcvansoest »

Those are some great pictures. I have a pretty sizable clump of Aloe vera, are you interested in starting a new clump? Getting a head or two for you to root should not be a huge deal.

Here is a photo I could easily find of a hummingbird visiting one of my other Aloes. I also have a nice pic somewhere of a Gila woodpecker on Aloe vera, but yours are better!
DSCF9497.JPG
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It is what it is!
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toditd
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Re: Birds Visiting Aloe Blooms

#7

Post by toditd »

Hummingbirds have always eluded me capturing them on camera for one reason or another. Nice capture.

I got rid of my Aloe vera several years ago in a hasty decision after I found rodents feeding on the leaves. Maybe they were after the juices in the succulent leaves. Instead of dispatching just the rodents, I got rid of the aloes. This was during a time of a roof rat outbreak in the area and anything attracting rodents simply had to go. The aloes were due a good thinning out, and boy did they get that!

Yes, I am interested in growing Aloe vera again. That's very kind of you to offer.
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Re: Birds Visiting Aloe Blooms

#8

Post by Geoff »

In some of the photos below you can appreciate how these birds act as pollinators (lots of pollen on their faces)
Hummer and Aloe pink perfection.jpg
Hummer and Aloe pink perfection.jpg (56.43 KiB) Viewed 2360 times
Hummer feeding on Puya vestita flowers farther.jpg
Hummer feeding on Puya vestita flowers farther.jpg (69.29 KiB) Viewed 2360 times
Hummer fuzzy between aloe flowers.jpg
Hummer fuzzy between aloe flowers.jpg (55.31 KiB) Viewed 2360 times
Hummingbird on aloe leaf H.jpg
Hummingbird on aloe leaf H.jpg (64.55 KiB) Viewed 2360 times
Bird drinking nectar H.jpg
Bird drinking nectar H.jpg (73.64 KiB) Viewed 2360 times
Bird pollinator H.jpg
Bird pollinator H.jpg (49.04 KiB) Viewed 2360 times
Mocking Bird on aloe flowrs 2.jpg
Mocking Bird on aloe flowrs 2.jpg (61.87 KiB) Viewed 2360 times
Yellow-rumped Warbler sucking nectar.jpg
Yellow-rumped Warbler sucking nectar.jpg (78.05 KiB) Viewed 2360 times
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Re: Birds Visiting Aloe Blooms

#9

Post by toditd »

Wonderful photos, Geoff. You even found a new species: an Orange-Throated Mockingbird, nice! That's a real cute shot of the Rufous/Allen's sitting on the very tip of the aloe leaf. Thanks for sharing your photos.

I've been keeping an eye out for birds on my Aloe 'Super Red' which is now in bloom, but so far the only pollinators I've seen on it are bees.
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Re: Birds Visiting Aloe Blooms

#10

Post by Stan »

I have to ask,What happened to the A.vera? I should squeeze them in. People always ask If I have them.
Hayward Ca. 75-80f summers,60f winters.
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Re: Birds Visiting Aloe Blooms

#11

Post by toditd »

Stan wrote:I have to ask,What happened to the A.vera?
I got rid of them. Read post #7.
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Re: Birds Visiting Aloe Blooms

#12

Post by namean420 »

Not quite sure what type of bird this is.
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Re: Birds Visiting Aloe Blooms

#13

Post by DesertRose »

This is a great topic. I’ve had very nice Aloe Vera in our front yard that gets frequent hummingbirds. I’ve added a variety of other aloes to the yard but they aren’t mature enough to bloom yet. (Also added a photo of the Gila Woodpecker on a blooming Agave) One of our hummers decided to move in with us and built a nest on our back patio lights. She’s back again this year with another nest.
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