Humming bird people

[Sterling]

All thru the season pretty much I've read online things here and there about Humming birds. I had taken my feeder down the beginning of summer because the hummers that had been visiting seemed to go away. Fast forward to a few days ago when I set it up again. Well seems like this one little dude...or dudette has come back with a vengeance...and I do mean a vengeance! She will pearch on the iron holder and watch for others to come by and dive bomb and beat them up! I was standing in the midst of them yesterday and they are not shy...buzzing around me and even coming close to my hand as I was setting out one of the feeders. They are a hoot to watch and to be around and I woud love to get a lot viisting my feeders. But my problem is that I can't get them to stop fighting. And the one little one won't let any others at the feeding stations without going after them. I have 3 set up within a 12 foot space. I even bought an Oriole/hummer feeder yesterday that has 4 jelly stations....(I'm really getting into this!). I think it really concerned me a few minutes ago when they were fighting and the one little bully ran the other little hummer into my sliding glass door and I heard the knock on his noggin!

Any suggestions as to what I can do to make my feeding stations welcome to not just one but ALL of the hummingbirds. So far I've counted 3 that want to feed, but the one aggressive one is not letting the others come around he keeps chasing them off and so seems like he spends more of his time fighting instead of playing nice.

I got some pics of him a few days ago.

Here the little dude is watching into the trees to see if anyone is coming he can beat up.

Parade rest.

Flitting about.

 

[wcr]

They are aggressive little dudes. We call their behavior Hummer wars. The fighting and territorial battles are just their nature and they really don't hurt each other and they figure out a way to get around each other.

 

[Mona]

I agree...this is just their nature and nothng you can do about it. They'd be doing it at flowers if you never had the feeders, so don't stress yourself over it.

 

[NoddalottaFarm]

At our feeder, its the males that will beam each other. They will dive at each other and you can hear them hit! We actually had 2 males chase each other right into our patio door and knock themselves out cold. I believe both were okay..... they both flew away after a little bit. Its just something they do and you can't do anything to change it unfortunately. They are *very* fun to watch though!

 

[Sterling]

I do believe they're pooping out....they're still at it yet seem to be flying slower and heavier while having at each other....

 

[Hosscrazy]

I had one of those dive-bombers, too, at my old place. Same deal! He/she would sit in my tangerine tree and wait for other hummers to show up...and then DIVE BOMB the feeder!!! I figured that was his/her role in life, but I also felt a little bad for the ones who were chased away!

Liz R.

 

[Charlene]

looks like a female ruby throat has claimed your place as her own. i have at least 50-60 hummers at my feeders all day long. soon, when they start tanking up for migration, i will have twice that many. i switched to feeders with perches and it's not at all unusual to see a bird perched at every feeding port. as the summer goes on, they will become a little more tolerant of each other.

this is one of 10 feeders i have...



this is the panic that ensues when i take feeders down to clean/refill them (turn up your sound)...



the little guys get pretty tame!...

 

[Margo_C-T]

It's definitely in the nature of the males to try to drive each other away! I have one feeder hanging in front of my dining room window; can see it and the hummies in my big wall mirror as I sit at the computer--I never have a LOT of hummies, but the past few days, there have frequently been three or four 'jockeying for position' at my multistation feeder...this morning, all I've heard is their squabbling little voices!

My neighbors, who have both hummie feeders AND an oriole feeder up, about 500-600 feet from mine, were out of town recently, and I *think*, their feeder may have run out, and that's why I am noticing more hummies here. They definitely have hummie activity; they've seen nests w/ babies in them at their house SEVERAL years; I never have, here...but, they have a LOT of pinon tree plantings,courtesy of the previous owners of their place-- and I don't have nearly as many.

This year for the first time, I had orioles 'mooching' off my hummie feeder! It would be empty daily, so I took to tossing a dust cloth at the window when I'd see them at the feeder...sorry, but I'm set up to feed hummies, not 'everybody'...they seemed to get the message, haven't returned in awhile...

The hummies do always seem to manage to use the feeder, in spite of all the drama! Two are supping away there as I type! I love seeing their feisty little selves!

Margo

 

[Sterling]

OMG Charlene!!!! Those videos are UNREAL!!!!! How in the world.....??????

We're going to have to dub you the Humming bird lady!!!

How many feeders do you have out? Do you have ant problems? I'm fixing to order me an ant moat from Duncrafts...there's a tulip one that is just darling. And am going to talk to hubby tonight to see about getting a water fountain for the deck so they can enjoy that as well.

Thanks everyone for your replies and sharing your hummingbird stories!

 

[Charlene]

LOL, sterling. i've been feeding hummies for 13 years. i do not even wanna THINK about how much i've spent on sugar! i buy it 20-30# at a time. i have 10 feeders out that i fill at least once a day. i'll be filling them 2-3 times a day later in the summer. also, it is not true that you should take down your feeders so they won't hang around when it starts to turn cold. the temps have nothing to do with migration...they will know when it's time to leave. i keep a couple of feeders up until well into november, just in case there are any stragglers during migration.

i do not have problems with ants and the best way i know to take care of that is to take a gob of vaseline and smear it all around the loop on the wire (the loop that hangs from the shepherd's rod). ants won't walk across the vaseline. i find it even more effective than the ant moats.

if you have trouble with bees around your hummer feeders, get some olive oil non-stick spray (Pam makes it) and put a light coating all over the bottom around the feeding ports. apparently, bees don't like olive oil and they will stay away, for the most part. it has worked great for me!

hummers absolutely LOVE a fine mist of water. you can get "misters" that wrap around the deck railing, hook it up to your water hose and watch the show. i have one but i can only use it occasionally when i am home because i don't have the best water pressure in the world and when it's on, i can't do laundry for flush!

i love having orioles, and i buy almost as much grape jelly for them as i do sugar for the hummers!!

 

[AppyLover2]

I have a few here and always hate the way one keeps attacking the other when they're trying to feed.

I agree with calling Charlene the Humming Bird Lady. Looks to me like she's hoarding them!!

I was surprised to note that the pictures indicate you're both feeding "clear" food. I always thought it had to be red.

 

[Charlene]

well, i've been called worse!

nope, hummingbird nectar can be clear. the red color of the feeder is enough to attract them. f.y.i., mix 4 parts hot water to 1 part sugar. let it dissolve and cool and you have nectar. in the early spring and again in late fall, i mix it 3 parts water to 1 part sugar to give them an extra boost.

also, never use honey to sweeten water. honey is lethal to hummers.

 

[Maxi'sMinis]

Wow great pictures. I have been feeding the hummies for years too. I try to space the feeders apart enough so the less aggressive ones can slip in and get a feed.

Charlene I would love to see your menagery!

 

[Charlene]

visitors always welcome!!

 

[Sterling]

Charlene, I'll keep those tips in mind, thank you again!

Maxi, those are the first pics of hummingbirds I've EVER taken!! So altho not the best, I was pretty excited about them! lol... Thanks for the kudos.

 

[NoddalottaFarm]

Hey Charlene - our feeder holds the same self-made mixture of sugar water, and we have a mess of birds too! Wonder if we are sharing hummers?

We only have 1 feeder at our house because they drain it in about 3 hours and I just won't fill it up more than once a day! I'll go out and tell the other birds to fly to your place.

 

[Sterling]

Then can you ladies please send some of your birds over here?

 

[Charlene]

LOL, diane! i'll take all the spares i can get. i love the little guys, they are SO entertaining! sterling, if i get more and have to fill feeders FOUR times a day, i'll ship a few your way.

 

[LittleRibbie]

More From Hummingbird Haven

Sterling. I was so intriqued with your hummingbird post I went to you tube to see if there were any videos to watch. Im sorry I dont know how to post a link directly to it ( maybe someone else can help ) but if you press in hummingbird and look you will see lots of real neat videos...the one called MORE FROM HUMMINGBIRD HAVEN is pretty neat along with several others....people that feed them out of their hands. What a great hobby, enjoy

Heidi

 

[Sterling]

Heidi, thanks for that tip. I will check that out! I think Charlene should post these videos she put here on You Tube!! They're awesome!