The Hummingbird Feeder War

I hung a hummingbird feeder outside my kitchen window in May. Within a week, a tiny, furious, emerald-green hummingbird I named Napoleon had claimed it as his personal property.

He guards it from a branch of the lilac. Any other hummingbird that comes near gets chased off with a high-pitched scolding and an aerial dogfight. He has also chased off a bumblebee, a moth, and once, briefly, my cat, who was inside the window.

I bought a second feeder and hung it on the other side of the house to keep the peace. Napoleon now guards both, flying back and forth like a tiny security guard.

My coffee every morning comes with a show. He weighs about as much as a penny and has the confidence of a lion. I've never admired anyone more.