Holly bushes and trees around our home are laden with red berries this time of year. I’ve watched many bird species peck at them, but only the larger ones can rip them from their stems and swallow them whole, as this American Robin was doing last week. (When I processed this photo, I first learned that robins have yellow tongues.)
Cardinals and robins seem to be the most prodigious consumers of these red holly berries, so I have to wonder if they are simply attracted by the color or if something in the berries helps these birds maintain their red plumage.
