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A well-defended territory is what some female hummingbirds find most attractive in a mate When it comes to attracting a mate, flowers and sweets often do the trick -even for one of the world's smallest birds -the purple throated carib, a hummingbird species native to the mountainous islands of the Eastern Caribbean. Scientists recently discovered that it is in the best interest of male purple-throated caribs to defend and maintain a territory with a high density of nectar-producing flowers. Why? Because it is the quality of this territory -rather than flashy plumage or elaborate courtship displays -that attracts the most females.
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