Original subtitles

Spring is here! How do you know? Well, the hummingbirds are starting to appear.

after wintering down south. That's what my guest will talk about.

Good morning, spring observers! Birdwatchers all over the USA are excited.

Our tiny flyers are migrating. That's right! The first hummingbird sightings.

Have you put out the feeders? The hummingbirds are on their way!

I love these birds. How can you not? The smallest in the world.

The moms are building nests, so what are you waiting for? Up with the feeders, bird lovers!

This is Beverly Hills, Wasabi. Do you see the park over there?

And all the trees and flowers?

One day all of this will be yours.

That's right, Wasabi. You were born with luck on your side.

"I will own all of this without any money."

If someone asks you to leave their property, just tell them they're talking nonsense.

It won't be long now, girl. In a month you'll be out here.

You can have it all.

Because it's yours.

-Time to talk hummingbirds. -Where were you on summer break?

Some return to Mexico and Central America all the way from Canada

and may be on their way through your garden right now.

Hummingbirds can be harmed by all sorts of things. Cats, tree trimmers, and storms.

Terry here will talk about that. She has a hummingbird hotline.

Since 2008, she has received over 20,000 calls.

Life in Hollywood as a hummingbird rehabilitator is absolutely fascinating.

Did you see that guy? My goodness...

Wow, stay on your side of the road.

Damn it!

Wasabi, I'm sorry. What happened?

Damn! I'm sorry, Wasabi. That was terrible.

Come here, sweetheart.

There, there, little friend. It's okay. Everything is fine.

You are safe. Completely safe.

It's delicate and emotional work. You have to be calm and steady

and be able to accept failure and loss.

But if you do it right, they will fly in the end.

I found an injured hummingbird while I was out walking this morning.

I picked it up and it couldn't fly.

-Are they awake? -One of them is still sleeping.

If it's sleeping, it’s unconscious, okay?

Try to get them here as soon as you can. And that one needs to eat.

-Terry here calling about the hummingbird. -Sorry to disturb on Mother's Day.

No worries. I don't have any kids.

Although I shouldn't say that. I have hummingbirds.

Wonderful.

Alex, we have to solve this, otherwise it won't survive.

-Yes. -But you probably guessed that, right?

So it's a baby? Is it baby season now?

Yes, it is.

His eyes are often closed.

-Have you seen the mother today? -Yes.

Then we’ll try the lunchbox cure.

Hi there.

"It was an honor to crochet nests."

"I saw this quote and thought you would like it."

"Volunteers are unpaid."

"Not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless."

I like this one. It's good. They will do great good

when more babies come in.

They sort of tease you when they hover around and stare right at you.

You think: "Why is he looking at me?"

You wonder why they do that. Why are they drawn to us?

And then suddenly they're gone.

When you see how vulnerable and helpless they are, you wonder how they survive.

I am responsible for their lives.

When they come in, they are injured and hurt.

If I don't do everything right, they will die.

Okay, everyone. Now then.

There we go.

Sidney, you came.

She came.

-Hi, Sidney! How are you? -So nice to meet you.

Thank you for bringing them. We'll take them in right away.

Come in.

Come on in, Sidney. Bring your treasure.

I was thinking of naming them.

It's up to you.

We can call them the Sidney twins.

-So cute. -Aren't they adorable?

How old do you think they are?

About two and a half weeks. And their mom hasn't been around all day.

She probably died last night.

The peak season is between April and July, so they come in like wildfire.

-How long have you been doing this? -Don't ask.

No, 15 years. Actually, 18 years.

This is fascinating. Look at this.

-That's human hair in the nest. -Really?

-From a blonde. -It must be mine.

Was it in your garden? So this is your hair?

-It's long, blonde hair. -No one else is blonde.

It's your hair. They take it from the ventilation vent.

-Really? -Yes, it’s your hair.

-The mom collected your hair... -Oh my god...

...for her nest. They also search for spider webs.

Yes, you saved them.

-Everything is fine, babies. -I'm so glad they are okay.

They will be fine.

No doubt about that.

Thanks to you. They wouldn't have made it without you.

-Without you! -Without us.

It's so small that you think: "That nest can't hold adult birds."

But the nest expands as the birds grow.

Quite incredible. They always decorate the outside with colorful pieces.

so I always know what color people have on their houses.

Okay, Jimmy. Now let's calm down.

You've had a tough day, haven't you? You're all jittery.

Jimmy was found under a tree.

He had fallen out of the nest.

There we go. Alright, come on.

Just like that.

He is still a chick. His mom was probably killed.

I am the surrogate mother, so he is waiting for the injection. He is addicted.

He is conditioned to be dependent for another week.

We can hear it.

He is not happy to be alone because you can hear how he cries.

Hello, Jimmy.

Hey there.

Hi there.

He just...

Right now he seems sweet and innocent,

but Jimmy eats eagerly and wants many insects.

He has the potential to become a real tyrant.

I believe that Jimmy will grow up and become a successful hummingbird.

We put him in a school box to transport him.

Then he will learn to die. We can try to revive him with sugar water.

Can you stabilize him, so I can take him?

We can try... Apparently, the mother is not feeding him.

Ouch!

Do it and I'll call back later.

-Okay, thanks. -Thanks.

What’s happening, Nick?

The injured one on the windowsill opened its mouth.

Nick, she is not injured, just young.

Wait, there are some here. Let’s just hear what we should do.

I’ll see if the sugar water gets her to come down.

She’s not coming down. By the way, that’s a female.

-How do you know that? -Females are the only ones that go into houses...

...to gather spider silk for their nests.

They seek out the light.

-Then they can’t find their way out again. -Okay.

If we don’t do something, she will sit there until she dies.

My friend Alejandro wants to talk to you.

Terry, I have a question. I heard you talking about a paper bag.

So the goal is to catch it in the paper bag?

In a way, we have to force her away.

from that skylight.

What you need to do is to slowly move the bag.

-Around the skylight behind the bird. -I understand.

No quick movements. Just move it slowly and get the bird to go into the bag.

-Not fast, because then she could get hurt. -Okay.

We got her into the bag, but she keeps trying to escape. She's panicking. What do we do?

Unfortunately, all of these birds are nesting females and they have chicks.

So you save three birds instead of one.

You could hear thuds and the wings flapping against it.

I saw how the bird was frantically flying from side to side.

and just kept hitting itself the whole time.

I placed the little net over the bird, and when it had gathered strength...

it started flying around again.

Eventually, it flew in and you could hear a tiny thud that sounded...

Against the paper. I was terrified that I had killed or injured it.

She was out of it until we took her out into the sun. Thank you, Terry!!!

Terry told us to take her out into the sunlight,

And like in all good movies, we went outside.

And as soon as the sun shone on her, she opened her tiny eyes.

I got the chance to see the little creature breathe in and out, just like I do.

She tilted her head and flew away like a flash.

She is so full of life force.

When you see an injured or downed hummingbird...

it becomes too much for people.

You feel like a monster if you don’t help the creature.

I use the term co-parents because it makes them feel involved.

He lay on the bed with us for a few hours this morning. It was really sweet.

I will miss him. Seriously.

-I will miss him too. -Me too.

Now you have a bunch of friends.

-He looks so sweet there. -Charlie might become a miracle.

Look at your little guy's wingspan.

-He's trying. -He's tough.

Look how this one pretends to feed the other chicks.

They have such a motherly behavior.

Isn't it incredible?

You are witnessing something very unusual.

She is just a chick herself.

She has no food, but she is practicing.

Yes, I've read that hummingbird mothers are among the best bird moms on Earth.

They are very loyal and strong.

Look at that! Isn't it remarkable?

She is so motherly. I'm shocked.

Here you go, girl. Good.

Take it now. Come on.

Here, Cactus. Come on.

Here you go.

Wing injuries usually don't get better.

But yes, Cactus has good willpower.

She hit something and landed on a cactus and got thorns in her back.

My family calls them espinas.

And they were sticking out of her back.

I saw a man who had cupped hands,

and I instinctively just said: "What do you have there?"

Then I saw a hummingbird in his hands.

I said: "I can take the bird."

And he said: "Yes, take it. I found it on the ground."

Terry asked if I could remove the small thorns myself.

and just pull them out.

So I did that.

To know that you have a little creature to take care of.

There is a little life here that needs your help to survive.

It tickles.

That's why you become attached to birds like these.

But it has several injuries.

It's quite bad. Her wing is injured.

Can you go to the feeder?

Can you jump into my palm?

She is tired of me.

I'll let you rest for a while and eat a little.

You need a lot of rest.

You must not get too energetic, otherwise you could hurt yourself again.

My dreams were very boring and incredibly American.

There were about 20 students in my class because it was a small elementary school in the countryside.

Our teacher asked us to draw

a picture of what we dreamed of becoming when we grew up.

So all the girls drew nurses and mothers.

and all the boys drew firefighters, farm workers, and basketball coaches.

Terry drew...

...a person with a beret.

Like a French beret.

The teacher walked by and asked, "What is this?"

And I said, "It's like an artist."

She said, "Do you mean a painter?" "No, not exactly," I said.

"I don't really know."

My parents didn't encourage artistic creation

because it was too uncertain.

You can be broke and become homeless.

My parents had nothing.

In southern Wisconsin, it's mainly hard work that matters.

Hello there.

You are sticky.

I will wash you.

That's good. You are doing just right.

She would have been fine if they hadn't poured sugar water on her,

but now I don't know. You can never be sure.

I don't know if she will recover. Sugar water removes feathers.

and she got it all over her wings.

I know, little friend. I'm sorry that it happened to you.

That wasn't nice.

Damn it. People, really...

They call me and ask what they should do.

Now they have probably ruined her and let the children play with her all weekend.

That's how it is with self-centered people.

It's okay.

I mean, these people knew exactly what they were doing.

She has holes in her wings where the sugar water dried out the feathers.

When I touched them, they felt crunchy.

She wasn't like that when they found her.

The wing feathers are ruined.

If you think a hummingbird can fly without wings, good luck.

Do you think people are honest with you when they want you to take in a bird?

It's just sad for her because she has to pay the price.

Here's the deal with things like this:

It's not just about one single bird.

What this shows about the finders' attitude

is that it aligns with how many people view the world as a whole.

The natural world is generally treated like this.

This bird is a reflection of their attitude towards nature as a whole.

There is no respect for wildlife here.

I don't want her to suffer any more than she already has in the wrong hands.

I can't say that they tried, because they didn't. They lied.

People have lied to me many times, and that's not something you like.

But if they think I'm that dumb...

It's insulting to treat me as if I were stupid and lie like that.

I know exactly what you did. Why lie?

I have never trusted people.

I grew up in an environment where you couldn't trust anyone.

You had to fend for yourself. I call it "my nail-biting childhood."

I was a very perfect child until I started college.

Something was wrong, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I felt it all the time.

"There's something wrong with you. You're not good. You're not enough."

I was lost.

I was quite wild.

You know, the usual addictions and outlets.

There are certain chemicals that reveal things to you.

Do you understand?

They opened a new world for me.

It made me realize how narrow-minded and confined

and colorless my world was when I was growing up.

I understand that my parents wanted me to have a secure job.

I don't know what's best, but I just couldn't go in that direction.

People think it's scary to stay on the right course.

Try having the whole world and infinite possibilities in front of you.

It's terrifying.

I had never been to a city like Los Angeles.

For me, it was like going to another planet.

Suddenly there are no rules or limits.

Hummingbirds live in the moment. They only live right now.

That's probably the most important thing a person can learn from a wild animal.

I wrote a book about hummingbirds. It was amazing.

Yes, that's how it's supposed to look.

Perfect.

A small hanging perch.

Everything that hummingbirds need is in this setup.

This is actually a luxury residence.

So this is Mikhail and Alexa's new cage.

Mikhail and Alexa are just happy together.

Alexa was hit by a car.

Mikhail was a bit grumpy at first,

But then he met Alexa and fell in love.

He pecks at her chest and her toes with his beak.

And he crawls close to her at night. They are very close-knit.

Not all birds like each other.

If hummingbirds do not like their company, they kill them.

I have a picture of two dead hummingbirds, a male and a female.

I thought: "That was quite a clash!"

Even though they are different species.

They were completely devastated. You could see that they had done it themselves.

He has been obsessed with Alexa for the past week.

The chance of Mikhail getting together with Alexa is quite low.

I don't know if Mikhail realizes that Alexa is a different species.

Alexa tolerates him.

It is a love story that we get to explore further.

I studied for an eternity.

I have four degrees.

It was like an obsession to live in the future and look ahead.

But what changes a person are the sudden things

that you don't expect at all.

It's like what everyone says when they fall in love:

"It's as if I found home. When I met him, I found home."

That's the only way I can describe it.

In many ways, we were the same kind of animal.

Beneath the skin, we were alike.

Frank was incredibly smart.

He was a rebel.

A bit of a Renaissance man.

Frank could wake up in the morning and say, "I'm going to start a diving company."

Two weeks later, we had a diving company.

He could write a book and get nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.

He was an extremely capable person. That was quite attractive.

Everyone you love changes you.

When you give yourself to someone,

they always change you and how you see the world.

I know that I changed him.

He was very supportive when it came to the birds.

In the beginning, he didn't understand,

but he let me do it

because he had his own thing.

So it worked out really well for us.

Good girl.

This is my little finger.

That's how big they are.

You can feel it.

You can feel those insects.

The twins' enthusiasm is growing.

They can feel it.

They are itching and scratching. I think they need sunshine.

They are going to get some good vitamins.

It can help them start to fly.

-Hello? -Hi, Terry. It's Sidney here.

-I left two kids the other day. -They are doing well. They are sunbathing right now.

-They are sitting out here in a little pile. -Are they having fun?

They are here with their new gang. Yes, they are happy.

Hopefully, they'll start to fly so that we can move them.

-Are you going to release them in Beverly Hills? -Yes.

They can still be released in about a month.

-Great! -They take a long time.

-In the meantime, they live in hummingbird paradise. -Yes, they are on the rise.

Hummingbirds seem to have a unique, magical and incredible trait.

How can something have a wing frequency of 50 times per second

without using a bit of magical realism?

How can something fly vertically,

from side to side, backward and upside down

without those thoughts and feelings being triggered in people?

They are completely unique.

Most birds are birds and flap their wings.

But not hummingbirds, no...

They perhaps shouldn't even be called birds.

Wait a minute. Stay right there.

We are going to examine you and see what's up with your wings, okay?

It's all right. You are safe.

Can you sit up here?

Just like that. Hold onto it now.

Okay, hold on tight.

Come on.

Yes, just like that.

Do you feel it? Come on.

Come on.

Come on now.

Her wing frequency is very low.

She can only manage halfway.

Cactus... It's okay, little friend.

Unfortunately, she has been here for a week. They start to age in intensive care

and then you know it's dangerous.

What is it, Cactus? Why aren't you flying?

She feels like she's falling, but now she also feels the air brushing against her.

and she wants to fly out into the open.

But that’s not possible when a bird is injured,

because the wing doesn’t land in front of the perch.

She is too old not to be able to fly.

She should have flown a week ago.

I have to be honest with you.

When a bird is... When there’s little hope

I try not to get attached, because it becomes too painful.

I care a lot about this bird.

She is a lovely little bird, so I will give her a bit more time.

She’s not very bad. I’ve seen quite a bit worse.

But it’s not promising either.

Cacti, who’s a good girl?

She would fly away if she could. That’s for sure.

-Hello? -This is Terry regarding the hummingbird.

That’s right, Terry!

In the past few weeks I’ve seen a white hummingbird from a distance.

This morning when I went out to water it came closer,

about 60 cm from my face.

It’s white with pink eyes. I’ve never seen anything like it before!

-So incredibly beautiful! -Yes, they are very rare.

They are like unicorns.

Even when it flaps its wings it is completely white.

Yes, I believe you. They are extraordinary creatures.

Raisin is a very handsome bird.

When I got Raisin, I didn’t think he would make it.

He had a head injury.

Many rehab centers wouldn’t take on a bird like Raisin,

but he flew a little bit yesterday.

He flew out from the intensive care door barely two meters,

but not vertically. Flying vertically is really difficult.

Right now, Raisin is on the lower perch.

Our goal is to get him to fly up to the higher perches.

Whether he can do it or not remains to be seen.

To go against gravity, you have to fly vertically.

Most birds can't do that.

He really wants to fly, and I hope that he will.

He is actually not discouraged. I've seen birds that are.

He doesn't have that defeated look.

When you open the window, they can hear and feel nature.

Do you see? He reacts immediately to the air and sounds.

It gives him the feeling of being in nature and wanting to fly.

That's why the best rehab is in outdoor aviaries.

Every step forward for them is good.

It's so nice to see them in here.

Oh my God, this is like paradise for hummingbirds.

It's insane how perfect it is.

Rehab birds need time in the flight cage to practice and grow

so they can mature.

They need to learn to sleep outdoors.

Some of the perches should resemble branches out in the real world.

They have a plethora of flowers

and more space to fly so they can build their strength

and gain more muscle.

And learn to fight each other, because that is an important part of the hummingbird's skill

to be able to defend itself.

You really have to be sure that they are ready.

You must break the dependence before you release them into the wild.

No one else will protect them in the hummingbird world.

Yes, did you do a full turn? Can you do a full turn?

Can you do that?

He said he was born to be in movies.

That was a half turn. Not too shabby.

But it wasn't a full turn.

He is really starting to become a bird and show off.

Now he is preening for us so that he looks good for the camera.

Jimmy is really a character.

That was good.

If we did that, we would fall on our heads or backs.

But he managed to avoid it because he can rotate his wings like that.

Jimmy is going to double his weight in rehab.

He probably weighs two grams now and is supposed to weigh four when he comes out.

This is Club Med.

And when we release them, they will end up in combat in a war zone.

There are no rules for saving creatures and animals out in nature.

Nature is a combat zone.

There is no hope if you are not aggressive.

Because everyone is on their own.

When they see weakness it becomes a target.

Their instinct is to eliminate the competition at all costs.

My name is Mike and I found a baby hummingbird yesterday that must have fallen from its nest.

When I picked him up, he was awake and fluttering. I didn't want to leave him.

"Did you see him fly?" "No, not at all."

He is not going to do that. Not right now.

His back is curved and swollen due to the back injury.

He is going nowhere.

I didn't know that teenage birds are like human teenagers.

Yes, they are. They are not just out flying with a little experience.

They are also targets. The adult males are after the young females.

He is competition, so they will likely beat him and get rid of him.

He is like he is in a coma.

"He doesn't wake up and..." "He likes to eat. He has eaten a lot."

He wakes up and then fades away. I hate it.

He licked it off my finger yesterday. It was a completely new experience for me.

His little tongue sticking out.

He will eat, but he is not conscious, if you know what I mean.

"He eats unconsciously. He just closes his eyes." "Poor little thing."

"Come on, Larry Bird. You have to make it." "He just needs to..."

At least today I will just feed him and let him be.

Then we will see.

I never tell the finders that he won't make it.

"Only if he has a broken wing that is hanging and it is obvious."

You can see that they are resisting.

Most people cannot handle the truth of nature.

and what we see as nature's ruthlessness.

To eliminate the weak so that the strongest birds survive.

"About ten years ago, I had a dream."

"I dreamed that I was walking up a spiral staircase made of marbled limestone."

and it was completely white.

A very elegant staircase in a large house that has seen better days.

Quite run-down and dilapidated.

"But Frank was not there in the dream."

When I woke up, I told him about the dream.

and he said: "I don't think we will move again."

"Me neither. It was just a strange dream," I replied.

But I didn't forget it, because it was such a clear and vivid dream.

"Raisin is very seriously injured."

"He trembles, and when they do that they are in pain and stressed."

He has always seemed unharmed on the outside,

but the internal injuries have been clearly visible in his droppings.

Raisin has fallen a lot.

It is fundamentally a weakening.

It's sad.

He had a significant cognitive decline.

We were together for 33 years.

When we met, he was the stronger force and he was the rock,

and in the end, I had to step into that role to take care of him.

It's one of the hardest things for caregivers, especially when it’s someone you love.

They come and they go, but...

...when you refuse to lock them away, they know it.

It was nice and soft.

When I said goodbye, he let go in the middle of the night. He heard everything I said.

When you bury them,

because their bones are so light, they decay within a few days.

As if they weren't even there from the very beginning...

She thinks: "I don’t really know. I haven’t agreed to this."

Come on!

There you go.

Hi, Sugar. Are you ready?

Are you?

Come here.

There you go.

Just relax. Yes, that’s good.

That’s good.

I’m just going to wash you. No worries.

It’s no problem. Look at all the feathers coming off.

It won’t itch anymore.

You won’t look like a punk anymore.

Look, your little punk hairstyle is gone.

Are you ready? Now we’re putting you back in the cage again.

Down here again.

Sit there until you dry, okay?

She was just a sticky ball of dried, hardened sugar water.

She has really recovered from the neglect she endured.

When she comes out into the flight cage, you won’t be able to distinguish her from the others.

Hi, Terry. It’s Cyndee here who would like to talk to you.

Hope to hear from you soon. Goodbye!

Everyone who came with her is now out in the flight cage.

Okay. So they have moved on to the next step.

She is too old. She should be in a large flight cage at her age.

So I’m not sure.

Unfortunately, she hasn't made any progress.

-How's the head injury? -She doesn't have one. It's her right wing.

If there is any fracture or injury in the shoulder joint or the wing...

We don't know how to fix it.

We don't even know how the wing works, let alone how to fix it.

-Oh my god. -She is mostly bored.

-Will she be okay? -I hope so. I'm working with her.

That's all that is needed. A gradual increase. Yes, look!

Yes, you can!

-That’s so cute. -She is such a sweetheart.

-She’s just such a cutie. -She’s really nice.

You develop feelings for these birds when you’ve had them for a long time.

There is a certain pressure from the finders as well. They text and ask how it’s going.

They really want things to go well and it’s not always easy.

In the back of your mind, you always assess every bird that comes in.

But just don’t tell anyone.

It’s a rehabilitator's secret.

Because no one wants to hear the truth when it’s bad news, so...

Cactus...

She has between 10 and 20 percent chance of making it. Maybe...

Sugar Baby...

So sad.

She has passed away.

I think she was just weak.

You can't treat a trauma until you know where it came from.

If I start talking about it, I will break down.

Yes, I was badly abused and hospitalized as a child.

And... I almost died after that incident.

It was awful.

It’s the worst thing that can happen to a child.

What are you doing?

Maybe that’s the reason I was drawn to the hummingbirds.

You come with an innate empathy.

It doesn’t need to be developed. It’s already there because of one’s own struggle.

Such events you take with you to the grave.

It’s so dark and painful.

Even now.

My mom was a very wounded person

and unfortunately, she passed that on.

I was angry with her for a long time.

But when it comes down to it she had her demons and...

We are too quick to dismiss the power that other beings have.

We have science, technology and literacy,

but the brilliance of the hummingbird

truly surpasses language.

Cactus, I have a new plan for you.

There we go. Cactus, do you feel like some flight training?

This is a magic wand.

I have had this wand or little stick for 15 years.

I have even trimmed it and filed the ends.

All the birds that I have flight-trained or rehabilitated inside a cage

were done with this magic wand. It’s like a magic stick.

It works.

I know.

Cactus, this is what we call rehabilitative flight training.

I want you to step on the stick. Good girl!

Now we’re going to raise and lower you. Let’s try this perch, okay?

When I lower it, I want you to jump over there.

Can you jump over here?

That’s what we’re going to try to do now, okay?

Jump up, cutie. Good girl.

Can you get up there? Can you jump?

Come on. Up there.

You’re really gripping that.

You're just not ready yet, are you?

Come on, yes! Come on.

Jump over there.

Good girl.

She's afraid to let go. She knows that.

You know what I want you to do. Come on!

She almost lets go.

You almost let go. You’re almost there.

You know you can.

Yes!

She did it! She did it!

Great job.

Yes, you’re going to get a reward.

Here. That was good.

We're not going to try again because I can see your wing is trembling.

and I don’t want to pressure you. We're going to take a break.

You did it once, and that’s good. Now you can sit for a while again.

Just sit there.

She did it.

A flight of a few centimeters, if you can call it that,

but that’s all she needs to do today.

I’m proud of you, Cactus.

Imagination is more important than knowledge.

If Einstein said that, then you know there’s something to it.

I don’t think we give other beings enough recognition.

for what they understand and can do that we cannot.

People always see themselves as superior because we have a more developed brain.

But not everything is as it seems.

They can see a flower from several kilometers away.

When they fly over a canyon, they can see a flower from several kilometers away.

They have abilities that we do not have.

So why are we so superior? That’s what I want to know.

Jimmy is just how he should be.

Namely a lunatic and an unyielding flyer.

We don’t want him to become completely antisocial,

because it happens sometimes when they grow up alone.

I want to see him with other birds, so he should go into the cage with The Wild Boys.

He should fit in with them because they never stop flying.

Come on, it’s no big deal.

No big deal, guys.

The less I handle them, the better. - Are you ready, Jimmy?

This is not going to be a piece of cake.

Jimmy, come on. Sit.

Why don’t you land? Come on!

Come on, it’s no big deal. No big deal.

Come on, we’re going to move you to a new house.

Come on, Jimmy.

Come on.

Come on, Jimmy. Land.

He thinks: "No, you’re not getting close to me."

Come on, Jimmy.

I got you.

Damn it! Oh, no!

I don’t have a net.

Damn.

Damn, Jimmy! Come down now, little one.

One day he will get tired.

He’s good. Wow...

Stay away from that vent.

There you go.

He’s not as strong as an adult.

He has a lot of energy.

He’s after the flowers on the wallpaper!

Come on, sweetie. Just land.

He’s starting to run out of energy.

Done.

Done, done. He’s exhausted now, but he’s still flying.

Jimmy, that was really mean.

I need to get a net.

Every step toward freedom is daunting.

Alexa and Mikhail are doing excellently.

Alexa looks really good. My God, she’s so beautiful.

She’s very independent now.

Hello there! Come on, let’s go.

Let’s go.

That’s Mikhail.

That’s Alexa.

I’m not alone.

Everyone thinks that when someone dies, they leave you,

but they don’t. If you let them stay,

their presence will be with you.

Frank, he’s still here.

I can feel his presence. It has never disappeared.

Life is a series of metaphors stacked upon one another.

Everything you see in these little birds are things we have gone through.

Their struggles, deaths, and successes.

Good morning, Cactus. You survived.

You survived the night.

Are you going to fly?

Good girl! Can you do that again? Can you?

Show me what you can do. Can you do that?

Did you do that? Can you show me?

Show me what you did.

Come on, show me what you did.

Incredible.

Come here, little friend.

You almost turned around. You nearly spun.

I didn’t expect this.

Can you show me?

Can you make it to the other side?

You’ve got this, little friend. You don’t need my help anymore.

It’s completely safe.

Are you going to fly? Can you do that?

Come on. There you go. That was a turn.

You made your point. Got it.

I’m impressed.

That’s great progress. Go for it, girl.

Who else is a hero?

Wasabi, we’re moving you to the cage with Cactus.

You should get along, because she’s really nice

and is likely to be a good mentor for you. I know you want to fly.

Okay, Wasabi. You and Cactus are cage buddies now.

I expect you to learn from each other.

Cactus is such a friendly soul. There won’t be any problems.

Oh, goodness! Wasabi, you can’t attack.

She wants to be near her.

Her first vertical flight. Really cool.

Congratulations, Cactus. You’re a miracle.

It’s insane.

Sweet little girl. I hope she will soon come out to the flight cage

so she can be released in Los Angeles again.

Just think about how far they’ll travel.

They will meet the other hummingbirds and see what they do out in the wild

and then return with their adventures.

I hope she has a wonderful future ahead of her.

Our curse as humans is that we don’t know how important we are,

that what we do matters.

I always tell people: "I never value the rescue based on the outcome,

only based on the compassion that was required to save the bird."

That’s what’s important.

I think they are ready. I know that I am.

They all look great. I know I’ve done my job.

Changes are always a cause for concern. They know something is happening.

Jimmy is ready.

They love you when they’re young.

And then when they grow older and independent, they hate you.

That’s the goal.

Jimmy is quite wild.

He’s no longer interested in human relationships. He’s smart.

Good save!

That was really good.

It’s bittersweet because I feel pretty close to this group.

Alexa tells Mikhail:

"When we finish school, keep in touch."

"Don’t forget me. Here’s my number. I expect you to reach out."

I would guess that three or four will stay.

Possibly little Charlie.

If they don’t want to leave, I won’t force them to do so.

At first, they will likely be scared and unsure,

because in nature, just like with us humans,

injured birds have a certain degree of caution about everything.

They know that life is harsh.

Hi, Cactus. Hello!

Hi there. I see you. Are you ready to take off?

You know that we healed you. You are in perfect shape now.

I know that...

She is ready.

I want her to take off.

I will worry about her, but I want her to leave.

It’s always a scary moment for me

because I know that it is over.

It will take them a little while to realize that they can do it.

Are you going to come out?

You can come out.

This is a very obedient group, so maybe we shouldn’t...

There you are!

There we go.

Jimmy...

His first flight outside. It looks really great.

He just shot up 30 meters into the air.

When people see hummingbirds, the first thing they say is: "How cute they are."

But then they shed their skin and become warriors.

Come on, guys!

Come on now!

Come out. Come on, guys! You are free.

They just dart out, all of them.

That is Alexa.

Good job!

That’s Charlie!

Look at him now.

He is free.

He looks really skilled too.

He is fighting with someone.

Come on, guys. Off you go now.

Come on, Cactus.

Come on! You can do it.

Come on, Cactus. Come on.

Come on now!

She is out, and she is up! She is gone.

I want to tell the truth to people.

And the truth is that when you show compassion

and love for something you don’t have to do,

it is a magnanimous act.

Subtitles: Lisa Di Biaggio www.junefirst.tv