Самец вермилионного мухолова прятался в кустах от фотографа, пока самка кормила птенца на открытом воздухе

The male Vermilion Flycatcher perches in a bush along a well-watered lawn, trying not to attract attention to himself from what he likely sees as a potential predator (me). The adult female stands on her chick’s back briefly as she attempts to feed it on a sign, a precarious and thin perch. She quickly hopped off and they perched side by side. The male Vermilion Flycatcher perches in a bush along a well-watered lawn, trying not to attract attention to himself from what he likely sees as a potential predator (me). JC Amberlyn/For the Miner Meanwhile, the mother and juvenile Vermilion Flycatchers perch out in the open. The adult female landed on the baby’s back, attempting to feed it. JC Amberlyn/For the Miner The adult female stands on her chick’s back briefly as she attempts to feed it on a sign, a precarious and thin perch. She quickly hopped off and they perched side by side. JC Amberlyn/For the Miner At one point, the mother bird turned around, immediately triggering the juvenile to open its mouth, begging for food. A common theme among birds is that the female is usually colored rather drably in browns or grays while the male is exceptionally colorful. The Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) is no exception to this rule: males are painted with brilliant vermillion red feathers on the top of their head, their throat, and breast. Females (and young) are much plainer with brown backs and buff breasts streaked with more brown However, sometimes it seems that the males know that they are quite easily spotted by those around them (compared to the females, at least), including predators, and become shy and retiring, while the females feel more confident in their feathers. I encountered this recently while on assignment. First, I caught a glimpse of the beautiful male and of course I immediately tried to get a photo but he wasn’t cooperative at all. He flitted away as soon as I got anywhere close, eventually hiding in a bush almost as reddish as he was. It was incredibly hot that day and he perched there in the shade, eying me.