Agaveville

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. Yum, aloe nectar! Ok, what's that guy with the camera doing? He's making me nervous. I'm outta here!

That was some very fine photography - thanks for showing!

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.

Nice shots! Gila Woodpeckers love Agave stalks too, as fertile hunting ground for delicious bugs. Yum!

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.

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!

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.

In some of the photos below you can appreciate how these birds act as pollinators (lots of pollen on their faces)

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.

I have to ask,What happened to the A.vera? I should squeeze them in. People always ask If I have them.

Stan wrote:I have to ask,What happened to the A.vera?

I got rid of them. Read post #7.

Not quite sure what type of bird this is.

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.