Sugar

The hummingbird sugar water feeder on our balcony in Bucaramanga has been a success over the last year with regular visits from endemic Indigo-capped Hummingbirds, White-necked Jacobin, Black-throated Mango and Rufous-tailed Hummingbirds. I think I also glimpsed a White-vented Plumeleteer but that has yet to return.

The Indigo-capped have often become very territorial and chased off all-comers. Recently we've been getting far more visits from up to 7 or 8 birds at a time. Standing in the middle of them is like being near a bee-hive. The arrival of more birds might have been because I increased the sugar content of the feeder (now a 1 to 4 ratio of white sugar to water), or maybe a seasonal effect.

The indigo cap changes colour depending on the angle of the light

I was happy to see that a neighbour one floor below is now also hanging a feeder! I'm pleased that I've managed to encourage at least one other person here to do that. Hopefully the second feeder will reduce the fighting from the territorial birds and we might get a few more species coming.

Here are few shots I took today on the balcony with a macro lens and a distance of about 50 cm! They really don't mind me being so close, but they don't like the shutter click.

 Female White-necked Jacobin (Florisuga mellivora). I didn't see one for nearly a year, but now she's a regular.

Indigo-capped Hummingbirds (Amazilia cyanifrons) showing their aggression. The fights sound pretty dramatic with clattering of wings. It looks like the bird above is using its tiny feet to protect itself.

 A juvenile White-necked Jacobin

 A male White-necked Jacobin. If you zoom in on his eye, you can see my reflection!

Another male White-necked Jacobin