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Laura's Animals / Wildlife Blog

By Laura Klappenbach, About.com Guide to Animals / Wildlife since 2001

A Plant with a Bird Perch

Thursday May 5, 2005
Researchers have found that a South African plant, the rat's tail babiana (Babiana ringens), grows a tall spike that malachite sunbird (Nectarinia famosa) uses to perch on when feeding on the plant's nectar. As the bird leans towards the flower to obtain the nectar, it brushes against the plant and helps transfer pollen from plant to plant.

Find out more: African plant grows perch for birds (National Geographic)

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