Remember Darby?

He’s the Rose-breasted Grosbeak I wrote about last week who has been hanging about in my backyard fueling up for his long journey north.

Well…meet Dora!  (I promise I don’t name all of my backyard birds.)

Several days ago this lovely female grosbeak appeared.

Like many other bird species, the male grosbeak has bold, brilliant colors while the female is dull and drab by comparison.  Before we women protest the unfairness of this arrangement, let’s remember there is purpose in this design. The male’s vibrant colors help him woo a potential mate AND they draw the attention of predators away from the female and the nesting site.

Look at how amazingly well the female blends in with her environment.

During her layover in the Atlanta area, Dora (which is short for “adorable” by the way) has been munching on seed and enjoying our backyard waterfall.

Whereas the male grosbeak has red patches beneath his wings, if you look you can see hints of buttery yellow beneath hers.

She is quite shy and tends to wait in the shrubs until the coast is clear before she ventures out to eat.

I know the grosbeaks won’t stay long, but I intend to enjoy their visit for as long as it lasts.
What the heck…let’s close with one more picture of each!