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> If you take a feeder down and see a hummingbird hovering near the spot and think it’s glaring at you, it’s not your imagination. I've had ones from previous

> If you take a feeder down and see a hummingbird hovering near the spot and think it’s glaring at you, it’s not your imagination. I've had ones from previous years come back in the spring looking for the feeder in the spot it was the previous year when I haven't hanged it back up yet. They just hover there every so often until I put it back up. Perhaps the most amusing behavior I've seen from them is when I sit on the porch near their feeder. They'll come up and take drinks still, but they'll give off little mouse-like squeaks of protest in between each drink. It's like they're saying "I don't like you near my feeder, but I'm thirsty enough, I'm going to sit here for a few minutes and drink anyways." The more brave ones will come right up in front of your face, hover and look you in the eye. Like they're determining if you're a threat or not (or trying to steal their precious sugar water). It happened with my friend once and after realizing my friend wasn't a threat to it, the hummingbird proceeded to sit at the feeder and drink with her right next to it. Bit intimidating though to see one right in front of your eyes with their long pointy beaks though (along with that grumpy expression hummingbirds typically give off[1]). When I take their feeder down for cleaning, they also go into a panic, looking all over the porch for where it might have gone. After noticing that, I only take it down after they've gone to sleep in the evening. Even putting up a spare feeder is usually not good enough for them, they seem to have their "favorite spots" and only go to the other ones if they have no other choice. I guess we're all creatures of habit sometimes :) [1] http://g2.img-dpreview.com/62F9AFC79CB848508C77EDD9C335AE60.jpg http://g2.img-dpreview.com/62F9AFC79CB848508C77EDD9C335AE60....

wiredfool 11y ago
Yep, I loved when they'd fight over where the feeder was, just to make sure they were in charge. Like there's any limit to the food I'd put out for them. When there are enough of them, they'll eat out of the feeder while you hold it, even perching on your fingers. In peak time, I'd be feeding them half a gallon of sugar water a day through one feeder.
- yareally 11y ago
  Yeah I love how they haven't come to the conclusion they have certain "flowers" that will never run out of nectar and will fiercely defend those feeders no matter how much you fill them up. Maybe they do realize that, but they just don't like sharing anyways.
  - wiredfool 11y ago
    There is a point though, around dusk, when they stop fighting and just feed. I've seen 12-16 birds perched on my 8 spot feeder, with birds sharing spots, taking turns, just sucking it down as fast as they can. There was usually a cloud of others waiting for a turn, so there really was no way for any group to defend the feeder. I joked that 3 hummingbirds can eat in peace, but only if there are 5 others fighting nearby.
    - yareally 11y ago
      That's interesting though they sometimes cooperate. Only time I really see them do that here is when it's the offspring of one. Perhaps it has to do with the species of hummingbird? The ones where I am are all Ruby Throated ones. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ruby-throated_Hummingbird/id http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ruby-throated_Hummingbird...
      - wiredfool 11y ago
        We've got Rufous and Anna's hummingbirds. I think the cooperation comes almost as a phase transition, when the density of hummingbirds gets high enough, there's less of an advantage to chasing off a rival because there's always another bird to grab the spare feeding spot. So the most aggressive ones 'boil off' and the less aggressive ones 'solidify' around the feeder. There's still competition for the favored perches a little ways back from the feeder, but that's where the density is lower.
        yareally 11y ago
        Make sense. Guessing you're also lucky enough to have some all year round too, which would be nice. We never get more than a handful here, so can't say for sure if they'd act the same in that situation or not. I must not be on a large migration path, though I think some pass through from previously migrations at times. I'm guessing someone else has documented ruby throated behavior, so I'll have to Google around and find out.

wiredfool 11y ago

Yep, I loved when they'd fight over where the feeder was, just to make sure they were in charge. Like there's any limit to the food I'd put out for them. When there are enough of them, they'll eat out of the feeder while you hold it, even perching on your fingers. In peak time, I'd be feeding them half a gallon of sugar water a day through one feeder.

yareally 11y ago
Yeah I love how they haven't come to the conclusion they have certain "flowers" that will never run out of nectar and will fiercely defend those feeders no matter how much you fill them up. Maybe they do realize that, but they just don't like sharing anyways.
- wiredfool 11y ago
  There is a point though, around dusk, when they stop fighting and just feed. I've seen 12-16 birds perched on my 8 spot feeder, with birds sharing spots, taking turns, just sucking it down as fast as they can. There was usually a cloud of others waiting for a turn, so there really was no way for any group to defend the feeder. I joked that 3 hummingbirds can eat in peace, but only if there are 5 others fighting nearby.
  - yareally 11y ago
    That's interesting though they sometimes cooperate. Only time I really see them do that here is when it's the offspring of one. Perhaps it has to do with the species of hummingbird? The ones where I am are all Ruby Throated ones. http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ruby-throated_Hummingbird/id http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Ruby-throated_Hummingbird...
    - wiredfool 11y ago
      We've got Rufous and Anna's hummingbirds. I think the cooperation comes almost as a phase transition, when the density of hummingbirds gets high enough, there's less of an advantage to chasing off a rival because there's always another bird to grab the spare feeding spot. So the most aggressive ones 'boil off' and the less aggressive ones 'solidify' around the feeder. There's still competition for the favored perches a little ways back from the feeder, but that's where the density is lower.
      - yareally 11y ago
        Make sense. Guessing you're also lucky enough to have some all year round too, which would be nice. We never get more than a handful here, so can't say for sure if they'd act the same in that situation or not. I must not be on a large migration path, though I think some pass through from previously migrations at times. I'm guessing someone else has documented ruby throated behavior, so I'll have to Google around and find out.