In a dimly lit corner of a bustling market in Mexico City, vendors of amulets, voodoo dolls and other mystical objects sell tiny, taxidermied hummingbirds as charms to bring luck in love. Sold for 2,000 pesos (about $100) each, the lifeless corpses are a symbol of the threats faced by hummingbirds, which are known for their speedy wings, delicate beauty and key role in pollination. "Hummingbird gardens are, biologically speaking, the best strategy in big cities to conserve the species," says researcher Maria del Coro Arizmendi, who heads the project.
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