Anyone else have an unusually large number of hummingbirds this year?

[ponytug]

Do hummers go dormant in very hot weather? We had 5 days above 100, with a high of 107. The feeders were untouched, until the temp dropped back into the 90s, then they drained two feeders in one day. Has anybody else seen this?

Great question!

Apparently, they both modify their behavior to stay out of the sun, their flight methods, to alter how they cool themselves, and undergo something like cold temperature torpor, called estivation, to avoid heat.

Estivation or Aestivation - Definition and Examples

Learn about estivation in biology. Get the definition and examples. Compare estivation to hibernation and brumation.

sciencenotes.org

And this paper is an interesting deep dive into thermal loads, body temperatures, and heat flows in hummingbirds for the really curious;

https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsos.171056

Thanks!

All the best,

Peter

 

[kenmbz]

Here we see less of them on hot days, but see them a lot at feeders late afternoon.

 

[Gem99ultra]

Do hummers go dormant in very hot weather? We had 5 days above 100, with a high of 107. The feeders were untouched, until the temp dropped back into the 90s, then they drained two feeders in one day. Has anybody else seen this?

Absolutely - same here. Normally they need to feed about every 15 minutes. But when temps get over 100, I'm assuming they do well to slow their heartbeat down to conserve energy, same as when asleep.
We were seeing 1 - 3 at a time last week. Temps went close to 100* during that time. It cooled of to a little under 90* this week and we're back up to 20 - 30, or norm. (Just before migration time we'll see 50 -60.)

 

[goeduck]

I assume they need to burn less energy when it is warm, they wouldn't need to burn energy for body heat. Our temps were only in the mid 90s but they were still feeding. Less it seems.

 

[ponytug]

I assume they need to burn less energy when it is warm, they wouldn't need to burn energy for body heat. Our temps were only in the mid 90s but they were still feeding. Less it seems.

High temperatures can and does shut down flying due to overheating muscles.

All the best,

Peter

 

[oosik]

My little two cup feeder hangs under the eves. Out of the sun - except in the late afternoon. The hummers do avoid the feeder in the hottest part of the day. I think I must have ten or twelve this year. I'm refilling the feeder three time a day.

 

[goeduck]

My little two cup feeder hangs under the eves. Out of the sun - except in the late afternoon. The hummers do avoid the feeder in the hottest part of the day. I think I must have ten or twelve this year. I'm refilling the feeder three time a day.

Yay! 10 or 12 is an uptick, correct?

 

[sixdogs]

We noticed a decline in birds over the summer but as I mentioned earlier, have seen them going into and out of the spruce trees we have. Looking at a feeder by the window, it hit me.

We had let out bushes and plants around the house and feeders get too tall and bushy and I have read that birds like to feed out in the open, presumably where risk I lower, and might be avoiding our feeders around taller bushes and plants.

Sure enough. We cut back the bushes and plants, moved some taller things in pots and more birds immediately started showing up again. A lot more birds. Still down over the last couple years but way more than over the summer. It's getting back to normal. FYI.

 

[Duds13]

My hummers have been nuts the last two nights! We've had some serious downpours in the late afternoon so I don't know if that riles them up or not but there is constant divebombing on the feeders and chasing one another. Fun to watch!

 

[oosik]

Yay! 10 or 12 is an uptick, correct?

Yes - I think my normal is six or eight. And they are certainly more aggressive this year. More time spent dipping/diving and flashing.