It’s fascinating to watch birds scratching an itch. Over the years, I have been amazed to see how often birds scratch their heads and necks and, how often I have photographed various birds scratching. I ran across this shot yesterday when I was reviewing photographs from a trip to Costa Rica this past March. The Bronze-tailed Plumeleteer that had been so elusive when I visited there in 2024 was constantly on display in 2025, perching, defending his perch, stretching, and preening. Occasionally it would scratch its neck. The hummer’s bright red foot stands out as it reaches up to scratch that itch!