As National Pollinator Week kicks off today, we're featuring what appears to be a faceoff between two pollinators. On one side, you have the bee, which takes the title as the best-known pollinator. But birds—like this lovely empress brilliant hummingbird—are excellent pollinators as well. And so are bats, beetles, and other critters that can also move pollen from plant to plant to aid pollination, giving us fruits, seeds, and the next generation of plants. So, shall we call this a draw, fellas?
Hummingbirds are only found in the Western Hemisphere. Most of the more than 300 species of hummers live in Central and South America, like this empress brilliant hummingbird.