Anyone else have an unusually large number of hummingbirds this year?
- Thread starter sixdogs
- Start date
- Views: 135311
goeduck
Super Member
I went the other direction, I moved my feeders closer together (about 10 feet apart) and am getting more birds. I have seen 5 birds on one feeder at the same time a few times. Often 2 or 3 at once on each feeder. I use the sit down type. They used to fight more and still do a lot but there is more drinking going on. The last week I have been putting out almost a quart a day. With the feeders completely away from each other it seemed one aggressive bird would dominate each feeder. I do not know if they can not dominate two feeders and give up or if they adapt to a "there's plenty to go around" midset or what.
PILOON
Super Star Member
I agree with U.
B4 we got the feeders up they would fly up/down the windows where we usually hang our feeders, sort of saying 'Hey, where is it'.
Only a returning bird would know which window had the feeders.
Larry Caldwell
Elite Member
The first hatch is showing up at the feeders, little half sized hummers. They'll grow fast.
OP
sixdogs
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2007
- Messages
- 13,774
- Location
- Ohio
- Tractor
- Kubota M7040, Kubota MX5100, Deere 790 TLB, Farmall Super C
Can you imagine those little birds left last fall, flew all the way to somewhere much warmer in the Deep South and then returned to your place in Quebec? That's thousands of miles for those little wings and lots of dangers.
OP
sixdogs
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2007
- Messages
- 13,774
- Location
- Ohio
- Tractor
- Kubota M7040, Kubota MX5100, Deere 790 TLB, Farmall Super C
We've had great results with this feeder. It attaches with a suction cup.
I think there are two versions with one made of plastic and the other of glass. Plastic is lighter while I have read that the heavier glass one can fall off. Ours is plastic.
I think there are two versions with one made of plastic and the other of glass. Plastic is lighter while I have read that the heavier glass one can fall off. Ours is plastic.
Larry Caldwell
Elite Member
I've been told hummers hitch rides on migrating geese. I don't know if that's true. I do know that we had a swarm of rufous hummers last fall that all disappeared in one day. I assume that was a mass migration as a group. This spring we have at least one nesting pair, but the majority never came back. I don't know if they went elsewhere or died.
dragoneggs
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Jun 9, 2013
- Messages
- 13,627
- Location
- Seabeck, Washington
- Tractor
- Kubota BX-25D, Kubota Z122RKW-42
That's a myth... here is a link to some hummingbird myths/truths.
The Truth About Common Hummingbird Myths
Should you add red dye to hummingbird feeders? Find out as we separate hummingbird myths from hummingbird facts.
www.birdsandblooms.com
OP
sixdogs
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2007
- Messages
- 13,774
- Location
- Ohio
- Tractor
- Kubota M7040, Kubota MX5100, Deere 790 TLB, Farmall Super C
I have alway seen pictures of nests that look like your but around here I'm not sure of nest construction. After a big storm in the fall I often see very small and fluffy birds nest the size you would expect a HB to use. They aren't made of clay and such but rather pieces of a certain hard type of grass stems. No wide grass but rather the short and hard stems only. Do you think these are HB nests?
Saw our first two baby HB's at the feeder today. About half normal size but drank up and left in a hurry.