Feed the birds: trupials, chuchubis, mofis and more

Apart from the iguanas (check out my previous post!) we also hosted an amazing amount of stunningly beautiful tropical birds - please don't forget we're used to moderate sea climate birds, and no, they're not famous for their sparkling plumage -

The birds visiting us were brightly coloured, rather cheeky, and not afraid to scavenge not only the balcony - where each morning we obediently presented them half a banana for breakfast - but the table as well, coming very close to where we sat.

They had an amazing learning curve. When we failed to offer the banana as soon as we stepped onto our balcony the birds came in, flew to the railing, searched in full flight for their food and curved graciously away again.
Waiting.

As soon as the banana was on offer they all came back again: first the official bird of Curacao, the black and jellow Troepiaal (or Trupial, the Oreole), see my first photo. Then came a mockingbird, with the wonderful name of Chuchubi. With the funny way he held his wings he had definitely cocky airs.

Next a couple of Mofis (strangely pudgy and small, almost totally deep brown-black) and the sweet 'Suikerdiefje', literally translated 'little sugar thief', ie the Bananaquit or, in Papiamento, the Barika Hel. Hel not as in hell but the Dutch word for brightly coloured - a stunningly bright, deep yellow. Then the Andes sparrow, they were as easy going as our west European common or garden ones. They patrolled the table, not bothered by our presence.

The colibris flew around and into the shrubs behind our balcony but didn't come near, as the various parakeets we saw when having breakfast and enjoying the Curacao fauna!