The Curious Visitor

Every spring I look forward to seeing the Bullock's Orioles return. One family spends the summer around our property, stopping by the water bowls almost every day. The brilliant orange males are impossible to miss against the pale desert grass.

One summer, one curious male became fascinated by something else entirely.

For several days he kept returning to inspect the clear bulbs. He would perch upside down, peering into the glass from every angle. I couldn't help wondering what he was thinking. From his point of view, the clear plastic probably looked like it held water. It didn't, of course—but he checked anyway, just in case.

Moments like these remind me that curiosity isn't uniquely human. Sometimes all it takes is a clear light bulb to send an oriole back for another look. I still smile whenever I see him hanging upside down, hopeful that this time the water might finally be there.