Lesser Violetear Hummingbird, Batsu Gardens, San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica, December 2022 — The Lesser Violetear is certainly the most aggressive of the hummers of the Talamanca mountains of Costa Rica and Panama (and in other high and lowlands where they live…it is one of the most widely distributed hummers of Central America). It attempts to dominate any food source, and especially feeders. Males apparently spend much more time guarding than they do feeding. (And no, I always feel compelled to point out, there is no Greater Violetear, or even just plain Violetear to compliment (or to justify) the the Lesser part of its name!) This is the male’s aggressive pose…sometimes the ears are flared even more than this. Sony Rx10iv at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with my custom birds and wildlife modifications. Processed in Pixelmator Pro and Apple Photos. ISO 1000 @ f4 @ 1/500th.