Photo and Commentary ©2026 by Robert Howson
Tuesday, February 24, 2026
If you’ve ever taken a psychological test to determine your personality type, you may have come away feeling like a Bananaquit. Yes, you were friendly, outgoing, adaptable to new situations, and maybe even attractive, but you also seemed to fit into many of the other categories as well. It was just hard to know where you really fit. That’s where you might best identify with this Latin American bird. Before we had the tools offered by 21st century molecular genetics, this species was variously classified as a sparrow, or alternatively, grouped with the warblers. Now it is recognized as a specialized tanager. And within that species, 41 subspecies are recognized!
Fortunately for the Bananaquit, it doesn’t have to worry about classification and can continue enjoying life in the tropics. It does have a specialized lifestyle, dangling upside down from flowers while searching for nectar or gleaning insects and spiders from the foliage. It will also come to hummingbird feeders to feed on the sugar-water offered there. Because it may become quite tame after repeated contact with humans, it has become a favorite with many and has been named the official bird of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Unlike this friendly bird, we humans are prone to compare ourselves with those around us to see how we measure up. While there may be times when that is appropriate, it doesn’t have any place in assessing our spiritual growth according to the Apostle Paul: “We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.” (2 Corinthians 10:12 NIV) And one last thing; there’s one other way we are like the Bananaquits; the collective term for a group of these birds is a “bunch”. How appropriate!