Feeder Guarding

"We have one Ruby-throated male, a few females and several juveniles still feeding at our three feeders, but they are much more aggressive in guarding these feeders than they were in the larger numbers in the last few weeks! We have a female that camps nearby and guards one feeder particularly well." —Clare in Lake Charles, Louisiana

Q: Why do you think some hummers guard a feeder? In this photo, identify which is the male and which is the female. How can you tell?

Photo: Clare Prejean