November 26, 2025
Tiny birds, giant drama
A Woman on a Mission to Photograph Every Species of Hummingbird
Fans cheer, raccoons crash feeders, and a “are they pets?” debate takes flight
TLDR: A 75-year-old photographer has just 90 hummingbird species left in her quest to capture all 366. Fans are thrilled and sharing backyard sagas—raccoon feeder parties, head-buzzing bird brawls, and a cheeky “are they pets?” debate—turning her journey into a feel-good, sugar-fueled community spectacle
Carole Turek, 75, is racing to photograph all 366 hummingbird species, with just 90 left—an epic quest that began with backyard feeders and exploded into globetrotting adventures from Studio City sugar buffets to Honduras’ glittering emeralds. The internet is swooning over her Hummingbird Spot and livestreams, but the comments stole the show. One camp is pure heart-eyes: “I love hummingbirds,” gushes a fan, who swears the birds “watch me back” through the window. Another camp? Chaos. Day-two feeder attempts devolved into raccoon raves and spilled nectar, with readers trading stories of territorial dive-bombs and tiny feathered divas guarding their sugar bars like bouncers. The hottest mini-drama: a lone “PETS” yell that kicked off a playful debate—are these backyard regulars pets, or are we just renting space from airborne landlords? Meanwhile, nest nerds are flexing: spider-silk nests, pliable and perfect, plus home videos from a safe distance. The overall vibe is wholesome obsession meets wildlife comedy, and people can’t get enough. Turek’s quest feels like the internet’s own, with fans rooting for the final 90 while swapping feeder fails, raccoon defense tips, and Attenborough-level awe. Verdict: tiny birds, giant feelings, and a community buzzing like a sugar high
Key Points
- •Carole Turek aims to photograph all 366 hummingbird species and has 90 left to capture.
- •Her Los Angeles home setup included 16 feeders, consuming 50–90 pounds of sugar weekly to serve hundreds of hummingbirds.
- •She launched Hummingbird Spot and a YouTube channel in 2016, learning photography techniques and gaining a following.
- •With only 15 hummingbird species in the U.S., she expanded travel to Central and South America to continue her project.
- •Her first international trip in 2018 to Honduras with Beaks and Peaks yielded several new species and introduced guide William Orellana; she is motivated to see the Marvelous Spatuletail, known from a David Attenborough–narrated video.