Hummingbirds and the territoriality question...

[alexpgp]

Eight years ago, when we bought the house here in Colorado, the seller made us promise to keep feeders out for the local hummingbird population. This we did with pleasure, enjoying the sight of dozens of hummingbirds feeding outside our windows.

Observing them, I noticed there was not much territorial behavior among the birds. Oh, sure, a few individuals would make a ruckus and, on occasion, chase away other birds for some reason best known to the avian mind, but in general, everyone got a turn at one of the fake plastic flowers that was fed by a huge reservoir of sugar-and-nutrient solution.

I suppose our tenant didn't carry on the tradition, or maybe it's still too early in the season (August?), but the feeder we have installed now doesn't get anywhere near as much traffic. In fact...

There's this one hummer who, I am certain, believes the feeder to be its personal fiefdom. The other day, I was sitting on the porch admiring the view when I noticed that if any other hummer approached the feeder, it would be chased away. The chasing bird would abandon the chase after a few tens of yards and zoom back to a vantage point on a bare twig of a pine tree located about 15 yards from the feeder and resume its station.

When any other (or, likely, the same) bird came back, the waiting hummingbird would come roaring in like a miniature interceptor - its outline reminds me a little of the Phantom F-4 - and chase away the interloper.

And then break off the pursuit and resume stationkeeping on the same twig.

This cycle repeated itself around 5 or 6 times in a couple of minutes. When I stood up, the sentinel abandoned its position in the pine and flew off to a larger pine about 20 yards further from me.

The hummers are very skittish. They immediately lose interest in feeding if I turn my head in response to their approach (which is very audible, and will never cease to remind me of Florida palmetto bugs, which are a kind of flying giant cockroach).

So far this season, I have only seen two hummingbirds at the same time. I had hoped to see dozens. I hope it's just early.

Cheers...

Comments

[bandicoot.livejournal.com]

The hummers around here are quite territorial. They're famous for it. It seems to work better if there are feeders in different places to minimize the friction. By the end of the summer, though, they seem to make their peace with each other a bit better.

They're also totally fearless. I've been working in the garden or watering plants on the deck and have had one come right up to me and hang there about two feet from my eyes, looking me right in the eye. Then, zip, they're gone ;) It's a bit unnerving when you look at that long, sharp bill pointed at you and you realize how fast the little buggers are.

I find I talk to them a lot when they're hanging around. They seem to like that. Or maybe I'm just weird ;)

[rebelbrat.livejournal.com]

...

i have had hummers fly up to check me out like that as well

what is cool is if you stand real still under their feeder

they will come right up and feed

you can't breathe though

but they're right there

don't move

it's awesome :))

i don't have hummingbird feeders here though

i miss them...

*ponder*

[alexpgp.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Maybe I ought to put up more feeders...

I like the little guys, despite the fact they sound like flying cockroaches.

Cheers...

[pixelpusher.livejournal.com]

Yeah, put up a few feeders further apart and see how that goes. I have two feeders and one of them is watched like a hawk by one little guy about 5 feet away on a branch of the tree. The other feeder is further away and there's nowhere to perch nearby, so it seems to be much more of a free for all.

Did you know there are handheld feeders you can buy? The one I have seen is like a test tube with a feeder cap on the end, attached to a thick copper wire wand that you can hold... and apparently the bold little guys will fly right on up to sip from it.