James Manzo is helping hummingbirds in her neighborhood live their best lives, and he came up with a creative way to get it done. The San Francisco park ranger became a TikTok sensation after he started dressing up in elaborate disguises in an attempt to feed hummingbirds.
Manzo describes himself as a “hummingbird whisperer” and “hum daddy”, and his feeding videos attracted over 700,000 followers and 11 million likes to his TikTok. His viral clips are both hilarious and heartwarming, but how did he start “thirst trapping hummingbirds” and when did he embark on this journey?
Despite the fact he looks like a happy-go-lucky person, Manzo was in a pretty dark place before hummingbirds came into this life. He unexpectedly lost his aunt and grandmother in 2019 and felt out of place after moving from New Jersey to Oakland with his partner.
Things took a turn for the better when a hummingbird flew up to him while he was sitting on his balcony. This interaction put a smile on his face and inspired him to start feeding the delicate birds and wearing elaborate costumes along the way to make things interesting.
“For the first time in a really long time, it reminded me that I could still feel happiness; that I was still alive. Even though all these terrible things were happening, I could still feel happiness,” Manzo told the San Francisco Chronicle.
