Hummingbird question ??
 

I've had hummingbird feeders in my bk yd for many yrs. I just this yr started making my own "nectar" which is simply 4 cups of water with one cup of sugar, bring it to a boil, let it cool, fill the feeder. It doesn't have to be tinted red, they love it just the same. Today, soon after putting fresh liquid in the feeder (books say to change it every 3-4 days), I saw 2 males and 1 female that were actually fighting over territory at the feeder hook!! Now keep in mind, there are two feeders with 6 holes each...that's PLENTY a room for 3 mini birdies...but when any one of the three was on them, it would chase the other two away. Wish I could have grabbed the camera quick enough to catch a zoom shot of the two males hovering over the feeder...like they were doing a stare off at one another!!! LOL I was just curious as to whether anyone else has researched these little birdies enough to know if they are indeed territorial and why they don't "SHARE". ha ha


Marilyn

Me too
 

I have read that they are indeed territorial. We've seen them fighting over our feeder. And it doesn't seem to matter how many feeders you have, they will still try to establish territory. We've seen them sitting on the little twig above the feeders and then dive bombing the new one.

Billye

some thoughts..
 

I make mine that way too...it is a little stronger than the recommended
1:4... but my vacation birds love it that way. I don't boil it however. I put in some commerical food
with ascorbic acid to deter mold. I don't get much mold if any since the feeders go dry so fast.

My feeder here has less action and no displays.

But up north, from which I have just returned today, there is alot of
"hoarding" of the feeder. Over the years I have learned a couple of things.

1) if you are on a highway for migration, then all sorts of territoriality can happen.

2) the young birds fresh from the nest, play alot. Swoops, dives, chittering,
etc. These birds have short beaks..check out my pictures in the photo gallery for a baby example. I used to think these were "fights"... but now I think they are just having fun.

3) I have had mature males travel thru and take over a feeder however, and chase others away. These have the typical red throat.

I have minimized the frictions by putting up several feeders and placing them where they are out of eye line sight of the "territory keeper" and that works too.

This year it was quiet in our bay, not many homes across the water were
occupied...and hence we had only a few hummers this season. I have had many many in the past tho....up to 20 at one time in our front and back yards. We live on an island, so they fly over. This year we got to see them dodging HAWKS...that was a sight...whew!

We must live on one of their flight lines as we feed about 2gallons a day from just two-quart feeders. Yes, they'd probably drink more if they didn't spend so much time fighting over it. We mix it the same, but don't boil it.


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Spryor! What an awesome picture, thank you!

Alas, I have only 2 little humming birds that come to my place. Maybe I'm the one that needs more feeders. :D

Spryor, that photo is the BEST!!!! We have 3 diff feeders, but never seem to see more than one bird in the area at any one time. When a second one arrives, they'll fight over who's going to remain for food ! LOL To see as many as you have at once, now I can understand why you go through the nectar so quickly!

that's alot of hummers in one place!
 

You will have to be careful walking around! They will be buzzing everywhere LOL !

Does this happen all year round? or only now? Spryor?

I've been feeding them like this for about 15yrs, and i believe they bring friends back every year.lol They show up April 15th on the nose and leave in the fall..even if feed is left out. It's not true that they won't know when to leave if feed is left out. I definately don't sit out there with a red hat on.<wink>

Wow, As I read this I decided to get a humming bird feeder :) But I'll have to wait till next yr.... May/June