Barboni has always been a bit obsessed with hummingbirds – even when she was a child in Switzerland, a country with an almost non-existant population of this species. “My dearest dream as a child was to see hummingbirds. Imagine my joy when I found out that my next job assignment would bring me to Los Angeles, where hummingbirds live year-round,” says Barboni.

The woman adds: “I cannot go to a place where they are not there… This is cheesy, but I have seen them help people. They make my life happy. Having a crappy day? Who cares — there are hummingbirds around… Having a good day? Hummingbirds make it better…”

More info: UCLA (h/t: laughingsquid)

Meet Melanie Barboni, an assistant researcher, who is also known as the ‘hummingbird whisperer’

She built a community of 200 hummingbirds who live outside her office​.

They come to complain if she’s late to serve their dinner

“My dearest dream as a child was to see hummingbirds”

“Imagine my joy when I found out that my next job… would bring me… where hummingbirds live”

“I cannot go to a place where they are not there… I have seen them help people”

“They make my life happy. Having a crappy day? Who cares — there are hummingbirds around…”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IP_3mAJpZVE