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Support your local PBS station.

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SHUM:
In Costa Rica, the national
motto is "pura vida," pure life.

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And here, life is everywhere.

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Over half a million species

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make this small country
a biodiversity giant.

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And it's thanks, in part,
to one tiny creature...

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the hummingbird.

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Hummingbirds are the
impossible incarnate.

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Masters of miraculous flight...

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cloaked in otherworldly colors...

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A glimmer in the green...

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and they're gone.

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♪

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But their effect lingers...

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bringing flowers
to the fields...

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and fruit to the forest...

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...where a whole community
of creatures

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enjoys "The Hummingbird Effect."

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♪

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♪

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♪

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SHUM: Cradled between the sultry
Caribbean and the wild Pacific,

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Costa Rica's vast
green frontier

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stretches across the heart
of Central America.

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And here, the wellsprings
of life are flowers...

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and the mysterious
little gardeners

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whose lives depend on them.

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♪

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In the eastern hills,
just at the forest edge,

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a vast terrain is overseen by...

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a very small caretaker.

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Blink and you could miss him--
just over 2 inches tall,

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hardly bigger than a bumblebee.

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A wispy mohawk of feathers
gives him his name:

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the black-crested coquette.

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Today, one little coquette
has hit the jackpot:

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a patch of
nectar-rich verbena flowers.

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But an easy food source
is a precious commodity.

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Another male makes
a bold challenge

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for the verbena buffet.

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When the time comes to defend
his flowers,

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the black-crested coquette

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is elegant
not just in appearance

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but also in combat.

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♪

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In a ritualized duel,

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they engage
in a mid-air stare-down.

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♪

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Feet flared, laser focused...

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who will be the first to flinch?

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♪

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Hummingbirds are always within
a few hours of starvation.

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Defending his food source
is a matter of life or death.

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♪

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For the most part,
there's no contact.

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Although occasionally,
they test the limits.

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♪

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The intruder makes a move
to claim the flowers.

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It's the final straw.

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♪

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The victor claims
his hard-won reward...

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not a tufted plume out of place.

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♪

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Tiny battles over flowering
plants have played out

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across Costa Rica
for millions of years...

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shaping not just hummingbirds,
but the land itself.

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♪

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Costa Rica packs an entire
continent of climates

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and terrains into a country
the size of West Virginia.

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♪

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Dry tropical forests...

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rain-soaked jungles...

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volcanic cloud forests...

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and sprawling tangles
of coastal mangroves.

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♪

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Costa Rica has long been
a natural bridge

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for plant and animal species.

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Some pass through
on long migrations.

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Others settled in,

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fostering a natural laboratory
of diversity.

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♪

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The country's forests
and skies

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are filled with some of

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the planet's greatest
evolutionary oddities...

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♪

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...a living network of plants
and animals

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interconnected
in countless ways.

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♪

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♪

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And around 18 million years ago,

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nature added one more
to the mix.

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♪

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♪

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A seemingly impossible creature...

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a tiny, jewel-feathered bird

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that would transform nearly
every environment in Costa Rica.

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♪

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♪

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Hummingbirds
are driven by nectar,

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and their specialized bodies
are purpose-built

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for harvesting
sugary fuel from flowers.

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[ Buzzing, chirping ]

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A unique rotator cuff
and wing design

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allows them to flap their wings
in a figure-eight pattern,

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making them the only birds
in the world

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that can fly backwards.

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It's a handy trick when you
spend the day with your beak

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buried in blossoms.

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♪

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In Costa Rica, over 50 species

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of these
industrious little birds

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are key architects
of every possible environment...

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♪

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...tending to flowers that use
their bright colors

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and elaborate petals
to entice the birds.

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♪

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But is it the birds
being choosy...

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or the plants themselves?

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In the humid foothills
of the central highlands,

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an unusual plant
hangs in the understory.

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The bright red segments

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and yellow flowers
of Heliconia ramonensis

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send a signal:
The plant wants to have sex.

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But it needs help.

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It can't move to meet up
with a mate,

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so it advertises
for a go-between.

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And not just anyone
will fit the bill.

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It offers a sugary reward locked
in sharply angled blossoms.

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And to access it takes
a special key.

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♪

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A green-crowned brilliant
considers an approach.

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There must be some way
to get to that nectar.

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The nectar tube is too deep.

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Not worth the effort.

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A green hermit might have
a better shot.

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With a curved beak
and a bandit's mask,

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surely she can steal some nectar
from a stingy plant.

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She uses her long body

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and tail feathers
to propel herself forward.

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Maybe she can force her way in.

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Still a lot of effort
for a little taste.

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It's almost as though
to get in there,

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you would need
a 90-degree angled beak.

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♪

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A white-tipped
sicklebill stops in.

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00:11:05,198 --> 00:11:09,636
♪

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00:11:09,636 --> 00:11:12,773
No surprise, it's a perfect fit.

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00:11:12,773 --> 00:11:17,610
♪

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Sicklebills have evolved
to specialize

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in these peculiar flowers,

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and the plants have developed
corollas tailor-made

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for these sharply curved bills.

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♪

155
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Most hummingbirds hover
while feeding.

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But the sicklebill perches,

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using her left foot
to pry open the flower.

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♪

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00:11:52,679 --> 00:11:54,581
While she drinks her fill,

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the flower drops a perfect cap
of yellow pollen--

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its sperm cells--
onto her head.

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When she visits the next plant,

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the pollen travels with her
and fertilizes the flower.

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Their special fit guarantees
she won't be promiscuous.

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00:12:17,104 --> 00:12:19,840
She'll only carry the pollen
to another Heliconia.

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00:12:22,209 --> 00:12:26,947
For the plant, it means sex
is a sure thing.

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It's a perfect partnership,
guaranteed to bear fruit.

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♪

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Flowering plants once relied
solely on insects to reproduce.

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When hummingbirds burst
onto the scene, plants learned

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these new pollinators
came with advantages.

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The birds travel farther
than insects to spread

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the gene pool.

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Slender bills
and tongues like mops

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make them highly efficient
at harvesting nectar,

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at up to 14 slurps a second.

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For the plants, it means nonstop
genetic transfer from flower...

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00:13:43,991 --> 00:13:45,926
to flower...

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00:13:45,926 --> 00:13:47,560
to flower.

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♪

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00:13:56,169 --> 00:13:58,771
To lure the birds,
plants developed more vivid

182
00:13:58,771 --> 00:14:00,740
and elaborate blossoms...

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00:14:03,410 --> 00:14:06,914
...triggering an explosion
of new colors and shapes

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00:14:06,914 --> 00:14:09,182
that would radiate
across the Americas.

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00:14:09,182 --> 00:14:15,322
♪

186
00:14:15,322 --> 00:14:21,794
♪

187
00:14:21,794 --> 00:14:25,598
And as hummingbirds drove
the evolution of new flowers,

188
00:14:25,598 --> 00:14:28,201
the plants themselves
shaped the birds.

189
00:14:31,404 --> 00:14:35,008
Some developed longer bills,

190
00:14:35,008 --> 00:14:40,247
some curved,
some improbably small.

191
00:14:40,247 --> 00:14:45,752
♪

192
00:14:45,752 --> 00:14:51,191
♪

193
00:14:51,191 --> 00:14:54,427
Plants and hummingbirds
began to "co-evolve"

194
00:14:54,427 --> 00:14:58,265
in one of the most intense
alliances in the natural world.

195
00:14:58,265 --> 00:15:05,605
♪

196
00:15:05,605 --> 00:15:08,475
Some partnerships reached
such extremes

197
00:15:08,475 --> 00:15:11,878
that choice
is no longer an option--

198
00:15:11,878 --> 00:15:13,746
to reproduce and generate fruit,

199
00:15:13,746 --> 00:15:17,517
plants like Heliconia
now rely on a single,

200
00:15:17,517 --> 00:15:19,519
personally
engineered pollinator.

201
00:15:19,519 --> 00:15:25,225
♪

202
00:15:25,225 --> 00:15:30,063
It's a deep partnership that
affects everyone in the forest.

203
00:15:39,772 --> 00:15:42,842
Few forests are as full
of hungry inhabitants

204
00:15:42,842 --> 00:15:45,245
as the far southwest
of the country...

205
00:15:47,380 --> 00:15:50,583
...where civilization
gives way to the truly wild...

206
00:15:53,620 --> 00:15:55,288
...the Osa Peninsula.

207
00:15:55,288 --> 00:15:58,958
♪

208
00:15:58,958 --> 00:16:03,596
Osa is an isolated stretch
of pristine rainforest

209
00:16:03,596 --> 00:16:05,632
jutting out
into the Pacific Ocean.

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00:16:05,632 --> 00:16:11,471
♪

211
00:16:11,471 --> 00:16:13,373
It has been referred to as

212
00:16:13,373 --> 00:16:16,543
"the most biologically
intense place on Earth."

213
00:16:16,543 --> 00:16:25,952
♪

214
00:16:25,952 --> 00:16:28,455
A staggering number
of rare mammals,

215
00:16:28,455 --> 00:16:31,924
like the tree-dwelling
tamandua,

216
00:16:31,924 --> 00:16:35,162
and the long-snouted tapir...

217
00:16:35,162 --> 00:16:37,630
four species of monkeys...

218
00:16:40,100 --> 00:16:44,337
...reptiles,
even jaguars and pumas

219
00:16:44,337 --> 00:16:47,874
all make their home
in these pristine forests.

220
00:16:51,644 --> 00:16:53,313
Flying through the trees,

221
00:16:53,313 --> 00:16:58,451
400 species of dazzling
tropical birds...

222
00:16:58,451 --> 00:17:05,525
10,000 kinds of insects
and 16 species of hummingbirds

223
00:17:05,525 --> 00:17:07,927
all keep
the Osa forests in flower.

224
00:17:07,927 --> 00:17:13,700
♪

225
00:17:13,700 --> 00:17:15,702
And the fruits of their pollination

226
00:17:15,702 --> 00:17:18,105
are bringing everyone
to the banquet.

227
00:17:28,648 --> 00:17:32,419
A troop of howler monkeys
is uncharacteristically quiet.

228
00:17:35,722 --> 00:17:36,823
They've stumbled across one

229
00:17:36,823 --> 00:17:38,925
of the hummingbird's
favorite trees.

230
00:17:45,132 --> 00:17:48,067
They're among the biggest
monkeys in the Americas,

231
00:17:48,067 --> 00:17:52,272
but the mainstay
of their diet is leaves.

232
00:17:52,272 --> 00:17:54,774
Thanks to resident hummingbirds,

233
00:17:54,774 --> 00:17:57,110
ripe fruit provides
a welcome treat.

234
00:18:11,824 --> 00:18:18,431
[ Monkeys screeching ]

235
00:18:18,431 --> 00:18:22,302
In the same treetop, a family
of acrobatic spider monkeys

236
00:18:22,302 --> 00:18:24,237
has also come to the feast.

237
00:18:28,175 --> 00:18:31,344
Fruit makes up over 90%
of their diet

238
00:18:31,344 --> 00:18:33,846
and fuels
their gymnastic lifestyle.

239
00:18:39,652 --> 00:18:42,355
For the juveniles,
the hot afternoon is a time

240
00:18:42,355 --> 00:18:45,858
to just hang out...

241
00:18:45,858 --> 00:18:47,460
or take a nap.

242
00:18:49,696 --> 00:18:54,301
[ Monkeys screeching ]

243
00:18:54,301 --> 00:18:57,304
Spider monkeys are known
for their long limbs

244
00:18:57,304 --> 00:19:00,507
and impressive agility
in the trees.

245
00:19:00,507 --> 00:19:02,909
But it's a skill
they have to learn.

246
00:19:06,779 --> 00:19:10,583
A new mom shows her baby,
just a few months old,

247
00:19:10,583 --> 00:19:14,221
how to find the ripe guava,
passion fruit and figs

248
00:19:14,221 --> 00:19:15,988
hidden between the leaves.

249
00:19:18,891 --> 00:19:22,462
He's getting the hang of it,
but there's a problem.

250
00:19:26,233 --> 00:19:30,270
Foraging requires
crossing between the treetops...

251
00:19:30,270 --> 00:19:32,905
and he's not quite ready
to make the jump on his own.

252
00:19:32,905 --> 00:19:38,478
♪

253
00:19:38,478 --> 00:19:44,150
♪

254
00:19:44,150 --> 00:19:48,455
It's a long way down.
Mom needs to get creative.

255
00:19:48,455 --> 00:19:54,761
♪

256
00:19:54,761 --> 00:20:01,334
♪

257
00:20:01,334 --> 00:20:04,136
The little guy
braves the crossing...

258
00:20:04,136 --> 00:20:06,239
and gets his fruit reward.

259
00:20:26,759 --> 00:20:28,695
Below the feeding frenzy,

260
00:20:28,695 --> 00:20:32,399
a female crowned woodnymph
discovers a hidden glade.

261
00:20:35,735 --> 00:20:39,506
A shallow stream brings
an opportunity.

262
00:20:39,506 --> 00:20:41,508
And a rare glimpse...

263
00:20:41,508 --> 00:20:42,909
of magic.

264
00:20:42,909 --> 00:20:51,851
♪

265
00:20:51,851 --> 00:21:00,627
♪

266
00:21:00,627 --> 00:21:09,802
♪

267
00:21:09,802 --> 00:21:12,872
A nearby male is also enchanted.

268
00:21:12,872 --> 00:21:18,177
♪

269
00:21:18,177 --> 00:21:23,383
♪

270
00:21:23,383 --> 00:21:26,386
Spending the day buried
in nectar and pollen

271
00:21:26,386 --> 00:21:28,355
is sticky business.

272
00:21:28,355 --> 00:21:34,794
♪

273
00:21:34,794 --> 00:21:38,398
All that residue can weigh
on the wings.

274
00:21:38,398 --> 00:21:42,435
And these masters of flight need
to stay as light as possible.

275
00:21:44,136 --> 00:21:46,205
[ Thunder crashes ]

276
00:21:52,479 --> 00:21:55,181
Whether they bathe in a pond...

277
00:21:55,181 --> 00:21:59,151
or shower in the rain,
a hummingbird's survival

278
00:21:59,151 --> 00:22:02,522
depends on meticulous
maintenance of its feathers.

279
00:22:16,068 --> 00:22:17,737
After washing off,

280
00:22:17,737 --> 00:22:22,141
they carefully clean themselves
of dirt, pollen and parasites.

281
00:22:29,482 --> 00:22:32,519
A gland near the tail produces
oil they apply

282
00:22:32,519 --> 00:22:36,389
with their bill
to every feather...

283
00:22:36,389 --> 00:22:39,759
and it takes time.

284
00:22:39,759 --> 00:22:44,497
Even the smallest hummingbirds
can have over 1,500 feathers.

285
00:22:51,103 --> 00:22:53,940
Preening realigns
the feather barbs

286
00:22:53,940 --> 00:22:56,409
and even restores
their iridescent color...

287
00:22:59,512 --> 00:23:02,248
...an illusion created
by reflective structures

288
00:23:02,248 --> 00:23:04,216
in the feathers themselves.

289
00:23:04,216 --> 00:23:11,858
♪

290
00:23:11,858 --> 00:23:14,326
A quick shake and a fluff...

291
00:23:14,326 --> 00:23:17,664
and once again,
she's ready for takeoff.

292
00:23:17,664 --> 00:23:24,170
♪

293
00:23:29,442 --> 00:23:32,845
In Osa, hummingbirds share
the skies with the very birds

294
00:23:32,845 --> 00:23:39,652
they feed, including a parrot
in primary colors...

295
00:23:43,222 --> 00:23:45,825
...the magnificent scarlet macaw.

296
00:23:45,825 --> 00:23:51,698
♪

297
00:23:51,698 --> 00:23:57,436
♪

298
00:23:57,436 --> 00:24:02,108
Here, where the trees spill
onto the rugged Pacific coast,

299
00:24:02,108 --> 00:24:06,345
scarlet macaws escape the jungle
to ride the ocean breeze.

300
00:24:06,345 --> 00:24:14,921
♪

301
00:24:14,921 --> 00:24:21,628
A three-foot wingspan helps them
soar up to 35 miles an hour,

302
00:24:21,628 --> 00:24:24,664
as they patrol the coastline
for fruiting trees.

303
00:24:24,664 --> 00:24:29,836
♪

304
00:24:29,836 --> 00:24:35,374
♪

305
00:24:35,374 --> 00:24:38,645
At the edge of the forest,
a senior male and female

306
00:24:38,645 --> 00:24:41,881
settle into a tree
loaded with beach almonds.

307
00:24:47,554 --> 00:24:51,958
Like hummingbirds, who locate
nectaring flowers at their peak,

308
00:24:51,958 --> 00:24:55,294
scarlet macaws make
a mental map of the jungle.

309
00:24:57,897 --> 00:25:01,901
They know exactly when and where
to find the ripest fruit

310
00:25:01,901 --> 00:25:03,536
and seeds.

311
00:25:10,042 --> 00:25:13,412
This pair, like all macaws,
formed a lifelong,

312
00:25:13,412 --> 00:25:17,416
monogamous bond
when she first chose him.

313
00:25:17,416 --> 00:25:21,153
And it's a choice
with lasting consequences.

314
00:25:21,153 --> 00:25:24,456
They can live for up
to 75 years.

315
00:25:27,359 --> 00:25:28,961
A decades-long partnership

316
00:25:28,961 --> 00:25:31,798
can lead to the occasional
domestic squabble.

317
00:25:35,167 --> 00:25:38,971
This one evolves
into affectionate nudging...

318
00:25:38,971 --> 00:25:42,441
and eventually...

319
00:25:42,441 --> 00:25:44,476
rather acrobatic foreplay.

320
00:25:49,281 --> 00:25:53,285
Finally, she gives the okay
and a tree with an ocean view

321
00:25:53,285 --> 00:25:55,855
is as good a place
as any to mate.

322
00:25:58,057 --> 00:26:01,594
For this pair, the honeymoon
clearly isn't over.

323
00:26:17,509 --> 00:26:19,679
Unlike scarlet macaws,

324
00:26:19,679 --> 00:26:22,615
male hummingbirds don't
stick around after mating.

325
00:26:26,786 --> 00:26:29,455
Every season, these little
forest architects

326
00:26:29,455 --> 00:26:31,991
have to win over a new mate.

327
00:26:31,991 --> 00:26:34,460
And that means
putting on a show.

328
00:26:38,564 --> 00:26:42,468
A long-billed hermit is
warming up for a performance.

329
00:26:44,771 --> 00:26:47,740
He's looking for a mate,
and to find one,

330
00:26:47,740 --> 00:26:49,909
hummingbird males
gather in groups

331
00:26:49,909 --> 00:26:53,045
for a sort of talent contest
called a lek.

332
00:26:53,045 --> 00:26:57,784
♪

333
00:26:57,784 --> 00:27:00,720
From his perch, he begins
a courtship ritual

334
00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:03,522
that starts with
a series of chirps.

335
00:27:03,522 --> 00:27:09,561
♪

336
00:27:09,561 --> 00:27:11,330
Other males join in.

337
00:27:11,330 --> 00:27:19,071
[ Birds chirping ]

338
00:27:19,071 --> 00:27:22,141
Soon, a chorus fills the forest.

339
00:27:22,141 --> 00:27:27,914
[ Chirping continues ]

340
00:27:27,914 --> 00:27:32,018
We don't tend to think
of hummingbirds as songbirds.

341
00:27:32,018 --> 00:27:33,953
They seem to simply squeak.

342
00:27:36,122 --> 00:27:39,792
But slow it down, and there's
more than meets the ear.

343
00:27:39,792 --> 00:27:41,460
[ Multiple notes chirp
in slow motion ]

344
00:27:45,364 --> 00:27:47,033
[ Multiple notes chirp
in slow motion ]

345
00:27:49,836 --> 00:27:51,537
[ Multiple notes chirp
in slow motion ]

346
00:27:51,537 --> 00:27:56,575
It turns out, hummingbirds
do everything at warp speed.

347
00:27:56,575 --> 00:27:59,445
They even squeeze
a whole song into a chirp.

348
00:28:04,150 --> 00:28:05,952
The neighbors
are taking notice...

349
00:28:10,489 --> 00:28:15,427
...including a female
who sizes up the suitors.

350
00:28:15,427 --> 00:28:17,163
Unlike many hummingbirds,

351
00:28:17,163 --> 00:28:19,565
a female long-billed
hermit's coloring

352
00:28:19,565 --> 00:28:23,435
is almost identical
to the males.

353
00:28:23,435 --> 00:28:25,071
To set themselves apart,

354
00:28:25,071 --> 00:28:27,439
the guys need to dial
up the performance.

355
00:28:27,439 --> 00:28:31,443
[ Up-tempo music plays ]

356
00:28:31,443 --> 00:28:34,981
In a kind of dance,
he pumps his tail feathers,

357
00:28:34,981 --> 00:28:36,715
hoping to catch her eye.

358
00:28:36,715 --> 00:28:46,392
♪

359
00:28:46,392 --> 00:28:48,360
The female is intrigued.

360
00:28:51,230 --> 00:28:53,966
One final inspection...

361
00:28:53,966 --> 00:28:55,634
and she makes her choice.

362
00:29:06,678 --> 00:29:11,183
From these hot lowland forests
to the windy highlands,

363
00:29:11,183 --> 00:29:13,552
the effect of these
winged pollinators

364
00:29:13,552 --> 00:29:17,456
ripples across every ecosystem
in the country...

365
00:29:17,456 --> 00:29:19,725
even its most extreme.

366
00:29:19,725 --> 00:29:27,399
♪

367
00:29:27,399 --> 00:29:29,936
Along the rugged spine
of Costa Rica,

368
00:29:29,936 --> 00:29:33,039
the unsettled earth
churns and steams.

369
00:29:36,742 --> 00:29:40,146
A chain of volcanic mountains,
the Talamancas,

370
00:29:40,146 --> 00:29:43,615
form the country's
highest peak at 12,000 feet.

371
00:29:43,615 --> 00:29:49,755
♪

372
00:29:49,755 --> 00:29:51,958
Temperatures
drop below freezing...

373
00:29:54,126 --> 00:29:57,196
...sulfurous winds stunt
the growth of the low bush.

374
00:29:57,196 --> 00:30:06,672
♪

375
00:30:06,672 --> 00:30:09,308
On the slopes of these
mountain badlands,

376
00:30:09,308 --> 00:30:12,011
a few tough characters
battle it out

377
00:30:12,011 --> 00:30:14,313
for what few flowers
they can find.

378
00:30:14,313 --> 00:30:18,918
♪

379
00:30:18,918 --> 00:30:20,386
The aggressive fiery-throated

380
00:30:20,386 --> 00:30:23,589
hummingbird dominates
the mountainside...

381
00:30:26,225 --> 00:30:28,494
...with an attitude
to match its blazing color.

382
00:30:28,494 --> 00:30:32,999
♪

383
00:30:32,999 --> 00:30:36,168
Another hardy species,
the Talamanca,

384
00:30:36,168 --> 00:30:39,671
named for these mountains,
even comes with longer wings

385
00:30:39,671 --> 00:30:42,074
for hovering
on thin mountain air.

386
00:30:42,074 --> 00:30:49,982
♪

387
00:30:49,982 --> 00:30:57,756
♪

388
00:30:57,756 --> 00:31:00,893
But above the fray,
on the mountain peaks,

389
00:31:00,893 --> 00:31:03,562
the extreme environment
has given rise

390
00:31:03,562 --> 00:31:06,132
to an unlikely master
of the high frontier.

391
00:31:06,132 --> 00:31:14,673
♪

392
00:31:14,673 --> 00:31:17,043
No bigger than a human thumb,

393
00:31:17,043 --> 00:31:20,679
the volcano hummingbird
exists only here,

394
00:31:20,679 --> 00:31:22,314
in the Talamancas.

395
00:31:22,314 --> 00:31:27,053
♪

396
00:31:27,053 --> 00:31:30,756
She weighs barely
as much as a penny,

397
00:31:30,756 --> 00:31:33,692
and feeds in the shrubs
on the tiny mountain flowers

398
00:31:33,692 --> 00:31:35,594
that suit her miniature bill.

399
00:31:38,230 --> 00:31:41,934
But her appetite
is anything but small.

400
00:31:41,934 --> 00:31:45,004
she has to replenish
12,000 calories a day.

401
00:31:45,004 --> 00:31:50,042
♪

402
00:31:50,042 --> 00:31:54,180
The flowers release only a small
serving of nectar at a time,

403
00:31:54,180 --> 00:31:58,417
to keep her
coming back for more.

404
00:31:58,417 --> 00:32:00,886
And she has to fight
for every drop.

405
00:32:00,886 --> 00:32:10,929
♪

406
00:32:10,929 --> 00:32:20,739
♪

407
00:32:20,739 --> 00:32:23,142
The Volcano Hummingbird's
ancestors

408
00:32:23,142 --> 00:32:25,944
moved up to these peaks
to carve out territory

409
00:32:25,944 --> 00:32:28,647
above the more crowded
lowland forests.

410
00:32:30,949 --> 00:32:34,520
Now, she is custom-built
for the austere environment.

411
00:32:34,520 --> 00:32:38,857
♪

412
00:32:38,857 --> 00:32:41,927
For her tenacity, the mountain
rewards her with her own

413
00:32:41,927 --> 00:32:44,930
little world
of pint-sized flowers.

414
00:32:47,433 --> 00:32:49,168
Her daily feeding and gardening

415
00:32:49,168 --> 00:32:53,505
keep the plants in fruit
across the mountain peak...

416
00:32:53,505 --> 00:32:55,807
and even feeds a few
hardy neighbors.

417
00:32:55,807 --> 00:33:00,346
♪

418
00:33:00,346 --> 00:33:05,251
A silky flycatcher appreciates
the fresh high-altitude produce.

419
00:33:13,725 --> 00:33:15,261
During mating season,

420
00:33:15,261 --> 00:33:20,166
male volcano hummingbirds will
ascend as high as 11,000 feet,

421
00:33:20,166 --> 00:33:23,001
and perch in the open
to attract females

422
00:33:23,001 --> 00:33:25,304
with their iridescent gorgets.

423
00:33:28,440 --> 00:33:33,011
But after mating, he heads off
to more comfortable climates,

424
00:33:33,011 --> 00:33:35,714
leaving the female to do
the rigorous work of nesting

425
00:33:35,714 --> 00:33:37,416
above the clouds.

426
00:33:46,158 --> 00:33:49,228
In the branches
of a storm-worn shrub,

427
00:33:49,228 --> 00:33:54,266
the expectant female puts the
finishing touches on her nest,

428
00:33:54,266 --> 00:33:57,403
ensuring it can withstand
high-altitude winds.

429
00:34:03,409 --> 00:34:07,012
She'll lay two eggs the size
of jelly beans,

430
00:34:07,012 --> 00:34:10,216
and for two weeks,
her sole purpose is to incubate

431
00:34:10,216 --> 00:34:13,352
the next generation
of mountain pioneers.

432
00:34:14,486 --> 00:34:18,490
♪

433
00:34:18,490 --> 00:34:21,360
It's nesting season
not just here in the mountains,

434
00:34:21,360 --> 00:34:24,496
but across every habitat
in Costa Rica.

435
00:34:24,496 --> 00:34:28,134
♪

436
00:34:28,134 --> 00:34:34,106
From the high mountains
to the lowland forest,

437
00:34:34,106 --> 00:34:39,044
every mom-to-be weaves a nest
from plant fibers, moss,

438
00:34:39,044 --> 00:34:40,979
and even spider webs.

439
00:34:40,979 --> 00:34:47,653
♪

440
00:34:47,653 --> 00:34:50,756
A coppery-headed emerald
camouflages her nest

441
00:34:50,756 --> 00:34:52,491
with a latticework of lichen.

442
00:34:55,861 --> 00:34:59,998
The sicklebill makes use of
hanging palms near waterfalls.

443
00:35:02,668 --> 00:35:06,438
A rufous tail favors
a high perch with a good view.

444
00:35:09,308 --> 00:35:12,043
But all hummingbirds build
a spongy cup

445
00:35:12,043 --> 00:35:14,580
that can expand
as the hatchlings grow.

446
00:35:14,580 --> 00:35:21,553
♪

447
00:35:21,553 --> 00:35:28,694
♪

448
00:35:28,694 --> 00:35:29,995
Once they hatch,

449
00:35:29,995 --> 00:35:33,499
mothering becomes
a full-time job;

450
00:35:33,499 --> 00:35:36,702
the growing chicks need to eat
every 20 minutes.

451
00:35:36,702 --> 00:35:42,841
♪

452
00:35:42,841 --> 00:35:46,712
Moms of all species
harvest food from flowers,

453
00:35:46,712 --> 00:35:50,882
filling a special sac
in her throat called a crop

454
00:35:50,882 --> 00:35:53,485
to carry extra nectar
for the babies.

455
00:35:53,485 --> 00:35:59,024
♪

456
00:35:59,024 --> 00:36:01,693
It's the first taste
of the very syrup

457
00:36:01,693 --> 00:36:03,729
that will be the focus
of their lives.

458
00:36:03,729 --> 00:36:09,735
♪

459
00:36:09,735 --> 00:36:15,741
♪

460
00:36:15,741 --> 00:36:19,311
But the growing chicks
also need protein,

461
00:36:19,311 --> 00:36:22,714
and she supplements the nectar
with a steady diet of insects.

462
00:36:22,714 --> 00:36:26,985
♪

463
00:36:26,985 --> 00:36:28,654
Hunting on the wing,

464
00:36:28,654 --> 00:36:32,758
these working moms can catch up
to 2,000 insects a day.

465
00:36:32,758 --> 00:36:42,100
♪

466
00:36:42,100 --> 00:36:51,243
♪

467
00:36:51,243 --> 00:36:52,778
After three weeks,

468
00:36:52,778 --> 00:36:55,046
the hatchlings begin
to get restless.

469
00:36:55,046 --> 00:36:59,285
♪

470
00:36:59,285 --> 00:37:02,988
A baby mountain-gem
tests its wings.

471
00:37:02,988 --> 00:37:05,391
It's not quite ready
to take the leap.

472
00:37:05,391 --> 00:37:10,195
♪

473
00:37:10,195 --> 00:37:15,267
A blue-throated goldentail
has just taken her first flight.

474
00:37:15,267 --> 00:37:18,069
But her bill hasn't caught up
to her body;

475
00:37:18,069 --> 00:37:20,639
it'll be two weeks
before it grows long enough

476
00:37:20,639 --> 00:37:22,408
to feed and pollinate.

477
00:37:22,408 --> 00:37:27,078
♪

478
00:37:27,078 --> 00:37:31,550
Even outside the nest,
mom comes to the rescue.

479
00:37:31,550 --> 00:37:38,290
♪

480
00:37:46,732 --> 00:37:48,166
With all her foraging,

481
00:37:48,166 --> 00:37:51,036
mom is feeding more
than just her chicks.

482
00:37:54,373 --> 00:37:57,409
The ovules of the flowers
she visits soon ripen

483
00:37:57,409 --> 00:38:01,713
into a spread of seeds
and fresh fruit...

484
00:38:01,713 --> 00:38:03,615
and when fruit is abundant,

485
00:38:03,615 --> 00:38:07,218
it affects every aspect
of life in the forest.

486
00:38:23,402 --> 00:38:25,471
Tucked into
the central highlands

487
00:38:25,471 --> 00:38:27,305
is one of
Costa Rica's richest

488
00:38:27,305 --> 00:38:30,976
and most mysterious environments...

489
00:38:30,976 --> 00:38:32,978
the cloud forest.

490
00:38:37,282 --> 00:38:38,817
In these mossy woodlands,

491
00:38:38,817 --> 00:38:42,388
the sky itself steeps the trees
in perpetual fog...

492
00:38:45,123 --> 00:38:47,559
...nourishing one of the most
biodiverse environments

493
00:38:47,559 --> 00:38:49,227
on the planet.

494
00:38:53,832 --> 00:38:56,402
Flowers are always in bloom,

495
00:38:56,402 --> 00:38:58,537
and a steady buzz
of hummingbirds

496
00:38:58,537 --> 00:39:01,239
ensures the trees
are heavy with fruit.

497
00:39:07,813 --> 00:39:10,816
Such easy access
to food frees up time

498
00:39:10,816 --> 00:39:13,151
to focus on other things...

499
00:39:13,151 --> 00:39:14,520
like how you look.

500
00:39:14,520 --> 00:39:22,193
♪

501
00:39:22,193 --> 00:39:26,798
One of the world's tiniest
birds, the snowcap hummingbird,

502
00:39:26,798 --> 00:39:29,935
is found only here in the
Central American cloud forest.

503
00:39:29,935 --> 00:39:34,172
♪

504
00:39:34,172 --> 00:39:36,475
Just over 2 inches tall,

505
00:39:36,475 --> 00:39:39,411
he impresses females
with a handsome white crown.

506
00:39:39,411 --> 00:39:43,482
♪

507
00:39:43,482 --> 00:39:46,952
The snowier the cap, the more
likely to catch a female's eye.

508
00:39:46,952 --> 00:39:51,056
♪

509
00:39:51,056 --> 00:39:54,259
Females are far more subdued
in color,

510
00:39:54,259 --> 00:39:57,395
a pattern for nearly
all hummingbird species.

511
00:39:57,395 --> 00:40:02,300
♪

512
00:40:02,300 --> 00:40:03,702
But we're beginning to learn

513
00:40:03,702 --> 00:40:06,037
that with these
little pollinators,

514
00:40:06,037 --> 00:40:08,039
things aren't always
what they seem.

515
00:40:08,039 --> 00:40:10,308
[ Thunder rumbles ]

516
00:40:10,308 --> 00:40:18,349
♪

517
00:40:27,358 --> 00:40:31,062
A male white-necked Jacobin
takes a break from feeding

518
00:40:31,062 --> 00:40:34,432
to rest and digest.

519
00:40:34,432 --> 00:40:38,303
But there's no rest
for these guys.

520
00:40:38,303 --> 00:40:41,239
White-necked Jacobins
are notorious bullies.

521
00:40:41,239 --> 00:40:44,776
[ Dramatic music plays ]

522
00:40:44,776 --> 00:40:49,347
Aggressive and territorial
around any food source,

523
00:40:49,347 --> 00:40:51,517
they're always
ready for a brawl.

524
00:40:51,517 --> 00:40:59,825
♪

525
00:40:59,825 --> 00:41:05,396
Their metallic blue tuxedos
and flared white skirts

526
00:41:05,396 --> 00:41:09,868
distinguish them from females,
who sport a less glitzy green.

527
00:41:09,868 --> 00:41:15,040
♪

528
00:41:15,040 --> 00:41:17,342
This vast difference
in coloration

529
00:41:17,342 --> 00:41:20,512
makes females a target
for constant harassment.

530
00:41:20,512 --> 00:41:26,084
♪

531
00:41:26,084 --> 00:41:31,657
♪

532
00:41:31,657 --> 00:41:34,693
It's almost impossible
to feed in peace.

533
00:41:34,693 --> 00:41:40,198
♪

534
00:41:40,198 --> 00:41:44,670
But some females have found
a clever solution...

535
00:41:44,670 --> 00:41:47,172
and a few of these males
have a secret.

536
00:41:50,576 --> 00:41:53,879
At birth, all white-necked
Jacobins are born

537
00:41:53,879 --> 00:41:56,214
with male coloring.

538
00:41:56,214 --> 00:41:59,284
As females mature,
they shed their vivid colors

539
00:41:59,284 --> 00:42:01,186
for a more muted palette.

540
00:42:01,186 --> 00:42:04,790
♪

541
00:42:04,790 --> 00:42:07,793
But one out of every
five females holds on

542
00:42:07,793 --> 00:42:09,961
to their male costume,

543
00:42:09,961 --> 00:42:13,131
keeping their bright blue
coloring into adulthood.

544
00:42:13,131 --> 00:42:16,935
♪

545
00:42:16,935 --> 00:42:21,172
The "disguise" lets her slip
through the crowd unnoticed.

546
00:42:24,776 --> 00:42:28,880
And at a feeding flower, she can
linger as long as she likes.

547
00:42:28,880 --> 00:42:34,052
♪

548
00:42:34,052 --> 00:42:36,955
It's called
"deceptive coloration,"

549
00:42:36,955 --> 00:42:38,323
and we're just discovering

550
00:42:38,323 --> 00:42:40,992
it may be more
common than we think.

551
00:42:40,992 --> 00:42:45,597
And it's why for this female,
life is no longer a drag.

552
00:42:56,174 --> 00:42:58,309
All this feeding and pollinating

553
00:42:58,309 --> 00:43:03,281
makes the cloud forest
a cornucopia of fruit.

554
00:43:03,281 --> 00:43:05,383
With such easy living,

555
00:43:05,383 --> 00:43:07,452
the community
of fruit-eating birds

556
00:43:07,452 --> 00:43:10,388
has free time
to flaunt their finery.

557
00:43:13,558 --> 00:43:16,795
Competing for the fanciest
costume in the forest,

558
00:43:16,795 --> 00:43:20,632
long-tailed manakins
attempt to steal the spotlight.

559
00:43:24,335 --> 00:43:28,173
But hidden inside the trees
is a rare and legendary creature

560
00:43:28,173 --> 00:43:29,808
that takes the prize.

561
00:43:34,179 --> 00:43:36,614
It was revered by the Aztecs
and Mayans

562
00:43:36,614 --> 00:43:42,153
as the "God of the Air,"
and at first glimpse,

563
00:43:42,153 --> 00:43:45,657
it certainly
appears supernatural.

564
00:43:45,657 --> 00:43:51,930
♪

565
00:43:51,930 --> 00:43:55,834
The resplendent quetzal is an apparition,

566
00:43:55,834 --> 00:43:58,269
widely considered one
of the most beautiful birds

567
00:43:58,269 --> 00:44:00,105
in the world.

568
00:44:00,105 --> 00:44:09,915
♪

569
00:44:09,915 --> 00:44:12,918
Streamers of billowing tail
feathers over three feet

570
00:44:12,918 --> 00:44:17,022
long write an invitation
in the air for female attention.

571
00:44:21,059 --> 00:44:25,096
And one female nearby, with more
practical tail feathers,

572
00:44:25,096 --> 00:44:27,632
takes notice.

573
00:44:27,632 --> 00:44:32,070
But this male is already taken;
once he's chosen by a female,

574
00:44:32,070 --> 00:44:35,606
a Quetzal mates for life.

575
00:44:35,606 --> 00:44:38,609
His large, dark eyes help him
find food

576
00:44:38,609 --> 00:44:41,412
in his murky forest environment.

577
00:44:41,412 --> 00:44:44,215
And his singular focus
is fruit.

578
00:44:44,215 --> 00:44:50,889
♪

579
00:44:50,889 --> 00:44:53,925
A mainstay of their diet
is aguacatillo,

580
00:44:53,925 --> 00:44:57,729
a small, wild avocado.

581
00:44:57,729 --> 00:45:02,267
The birds swallow them whole
and rest for about 20 minutes,

582
00:45:02,267 --> 00:45:05,636
while their stomach acids
digest the flesh of the fruit.

583
00:45:08,639 --> 00:45:10,508
When she's finished...

584
00:45:10,508 --> 00:45:12,744
there's no elegant way
to do this.

585
00:45:15,113 --> 00:45:19,184
It's the ultimate goal
of the fruit tree, achieved:

586
00:45:19,184 --> 00:45:21,619
its seed spread to new soil.

587
00:45:26,157 --> 00:45:29,795
But this fruiteater
is also a family man;

588
00:45:29,795 --> 00:45:31,763
there are hungry chicks at home.

589
00:45:34,299 --> 00:45:35,633
Unlike hummingbirds,

590
00:45:35,633 --> 00:45:38,904
Quetzal pairs share
all parenting duties.

591
00:45:46,244 --> 00:45:51,249
Sometimes, a chick's eyes can be
bigger than its appetite...

592
00:45:51,249 --> 00:45:54,752
or its mouth.

593
00:45:54,752 --> 00:45:57,956
But with some effort,
it gets its meal.

594
00:46:00,558 --> 00:46:04,029
And the forest might
just get another tree.

595
00:46:06,164 --> 00:46:08,133
[ Thunder rumbles ]

596
00:46:15,006 --> 00:46:19,310
Nesting season is dictated
by the weather,

597
00:46:19,310 --> 00:46:22,413
and in Costa Rica,
the weather is changing.

598
00:46:25,283 --> 00:46:28,186
Rainy seasons are shifting,

599
00:46:28,186 --> 00:46:31,089
and it's likely the future
will only get wetter.

600
00:46:35,360 --> 00:46:37,662
Protecting against this
shifting climate

601
00:46:37,662 --> 00:46:42,400
is one of the country's
most critical ecosystems...

602
00:46:42,400 --> 00:46:45,470
tended to by one elusive
little hummingbird.

603
00:46:45,470 --> 00:46:50,675
♪

604
00:46:50,675 --> 00:46:53,278
Scattered along
the Pacific coast,

605
00:46:53,278 --> 00:46:57,115
tangled masses of thirsty
roots reach for the tide.

606
00:47:00,251 --> 00:47:03,354
Where freshwater rivers
meet salty ocean,

607
00:47:03,354 --> 00:47:05,924
a sprawling forest
of mangroves forms

608
00:47:05,924 --> 00:47:08,559
a sponge
for the ocean's power.

609
00:47:08,559 --> 00:47:13,098
♪

610
00:47:13,098 --> 00:47:16,601
Mangroves are the only trees
that can filter freshwater

611
00:47:16,601 --> 00:47:20,538
from saltwater through
a complex system of roots.

612
00:47:24,309 --> 00:47:28,579
These intertwined tendrils
absorb tidal surges and storms,

613
00:47:28,579 --> 00:47:33,551
shielding the coastline
and binding the soil in place.

614
00:47:33,551 --> 00:47:37,422
And this place is made
for transformation.

615
00:47:37,422 --> 00:47:46,297
♪

616
00:47:46,297 --> 00:47:49,300
Twice a day, the rising tide
brings the ocean

617
00:47:49,300 --> 00:47:50,936
into the forest...

618
00:47:54,572 --> 00:47:58,343
...becoming a rich wetland nursery,

619
00:47:58,343 --> 00:48:04,549
a welcome buffet for over
850 species of birds...

620
00:48:04,549 --> 00:48:06,684
and even crocodiles.

621
00:48:09,054 --> 00:48:11,489
And hidden among
the dense roots,

622
00:48:11,489 --> 00:48:12,790
there's one little gardener

623
00:48:12,790 --> 00:48:15,793
bringing these salty
mangroves into flower.

624
00:48:15,793 --> 00:48:22,233
♪

625
00:48:22,233 --> 00:48:26,171
Mangrove hummingbirds are one of
the rarest birds in the world...

626
00:48:28,306 --> 00:48:32,877
...shaped and formed
by this peculiar habitat...

627
00:48:32,877 --> 00:48:35,546
males in a handsome blue
and green...

628
00:48:37,515 --> 00:48:42,020
females perfectly camouflaged
in the ghostly gray trees.

629
00:48:46,257 --> 00:48:48,626
These tenacious birds
have learned to feed

630
00:48:48,626 --> 00:48:52,563
on the low trees
of the mangroves,

631
00:48:52,563 --> 00:48:55,700
seeking out nectar
wherever they can find it.

632
00:48:58,669 --> 00:49:01,072
A favorite, the inga flower,

633
00:49:01,072 --> 00:49:03,908
ripens when pollinated
into vanilla-flavored

634
00:49:03,908 --> 00:49:06,677
pods called ice cream beans.

635
00:49:08,713 --> 00:49:12,117
And the neighbors have
a serious sweet tooth.

636
00:49:18,723 --> 00:49:20,791
White-faced capuchins
are right at home

637
00:49:20,791 --> 00:49:23,194
in this jungle-gym environment.

638
00:49:31,769 --> 00:49:34,339
The large family group travels together,

639
00:49:34,339 --> 00:49:38,009
feeding on the fruits of the
mangrove hummingbird's labor.

640
00:49:41,779 --> 00:49:44,149
Higher ranking members
take prime positions

641
00:49:44,149 --> 00:49:45,816
at a feeding tree.

642
00:49:48,319 --> 00:49:51,356
For adolescents,
anything that falls...

643
00:49:51,356 --> 00:49:52,990
is fair game.

644
00:49:55,026 --> 00:49:59,130
But fishing for fallen fruit
is not for the faint of heart.

645
00:49:59,130 --> 00:50:07,572
♪

646
00:50:07,572 --> 00:50:16,247
♪

647
00:50:16,247 --> 00:50:24,922
♪

648
00:50:24,922 --> 00:50:26,424
The greater the risk...

649
00:50:26,424 --> 00:50:28,059
the sweeter the reward.

650
00:50:34,699 --> 00:50:40,705
These highly intelligent monkeys
can cover up to 2 miles a day.

651
00:50:40,705 --> 00:50:42,807
Always on the move,
they take with them

652
00:50:42,807 --> 00:50:47,312
the seeds of new beginnings,
new mangroves,

653
00:50:47,312 --> 00:50:49,647
shaping a new environment
for them

654
00:50:49,647 --> 00:50:52,350
and for the hummingbirds
that feed them.

655
00:50:56,154 --> 00:50:58,856
These interconnected roots
are like the creatures

656
00:50:58,856 --> 00:51:01,326
that inhabit
all of Costa Rica.

657
00:51:05,029 --> 00:51:07,932
Each one a vital link...

658
00:51:07,932 --> 00:51:10,835
in a living network of animals
and plants...

659
00:51:16,407 --> 00:51:18,709
...beings that couldn't be
more different...

660
00:51:21,712 --> 00:51:24,915
...adapted to wildly
diverse environments...

661
00:51:24,915 --> 00:51:30,521
♪

662
00:51:30,521 --> 00:51:32,823
...all connected by
the sparkling,

663
00:51:32,823 --> 00:51:34,892
wondrous little workers...

664
00:51:38,429 --> 00:51:40,064
...who, through
their fighting...

665
00:51:43,368 --> 00:51:44,935
...foraging...

666
00:51:49,540 --> 00:51:51,276
...and miraculous lives...

667
00:51:54,545 --> 00:51:57,982
...bring color...

668
00:51:57,982 --> 00:52:00,618
food...

669
00:52:00,618 --> 00:52:04,789
and life...

670
00:52:04,789 --> 00:52:07,158
to the crossroads
of the Americas.

671
00:52:07,158 --> 00:52:14,665
♪

672
00:52:14,665 --> 00:52:17,502
That's the hummingbird effect.

673
00:52:21,939 --> 00:52:41,259
♪

674
00:52:41,259 --> 00:52:49,500
♪

675
00:52:49,500 --> 00:52:57,575
♪

676
00:52:57,575 --> 00:53:05,550
♪

677
00:53:05,550 --> 00:53:09,119
♪