Birds & Bats

The vast majority of pollinators are insects, however, some bats and a few birds also pollinate. Hummingbirds sip nectar from flowers, and in the process they may get pollen on their bodies that is then transported to another flower. Hummingbirds love tubular flowers, especially red ones, so planting these types of flowers in your yard is an easy way to help this pollinator and increase your chance of seeing these remarkable birds. Other pollinating birds are spiderhunters, sunbirds, honeycreepers and honeyeaters.

Bats are important nighttime pollinators, especially to many desert plants. Mangos, bananas, guavas, and agave (used to make tequila) are dependent on bats for pollination. The lesser long-nosed bat and the Mexican long-tongued bat are federally endangered species. In some areas, bat populations are being diminished or wiped out by White-Nose Syndrome. This disease has killed over 5 million bats in the eastern part of North America. A fungus that is found in many of the caves where bats hibernate is the cause of it.