Counting hummingbirds

[avorancher]

Our hummer population continues to increase and now I'm trying to estimate how many of these entertaining visitors we might have. My wife and I have been able to collectively count about 31 at one time (4 feeders), but know there are a lot more since they are constantly moving.

We're up to about a gallon of sugar-water a day...about 10 lbs of sugar a week.

Can I claim them a dependents this year on my tax forms?

 

[goaliedad]

WOW- we only have three that visit us. That must be a sight!

we have been having trouble with wasps keeping the birds away-any advice?

 

[jinman]

We only have one feeder, but refill it every other day. It seems to me that the drought here caused a lot less wild flowers and thus a lot less nectar. This year's flock of hummingbirds is the biggest I've ever seen. I call them "buzz bugs," and if you have that many, your place must really buzz. With all of them chirping too, I bet it gets noisy around there.

 

[EddieWalker]

You're what we call and "over-achiever" hahahaha

Steph put out one hummng bird feeder and we waited months for our first bird to show up. Now there are four that have taken over. We never thought that we'd get that many. Now that we've read your post, we feel like we've been slacking and need to add another feeder at least!!!!

Any pics??

Eddie

 

[avorancher]

I find it difficult to take photos of more than just a couple at a time with my still camera, but attached are a couple still frames from a video I took.

We're lucky enough to have hummers all year, but lately the population just seem to be increasing. I think we might have a couple hundred??

 

[Paddy]

That is quite nice photos! We started out with one feeder and we were not so good about keeping it filled. Now the wife no longer works...outside the home, she fills two daily. We can have 5-6 on each feeder. keep them filled and have plenty of feeders and in a year or two, they will run you out!

 

[wushaw]

Eddie, I take it you have lisnened to Rodney Carrington

I have one feeder and three birds this year. They will go through it in four days.

 

[JPinnell]

We only have 3 feeders, but they each hold a quart. If I fill after dark the previos night on a busy day they can empty them by 4pm depending on the weather and temp. Usually it's just under 3 quarts a day and we use a 10lb bag of sugar every 10-12 days. I use the Best-1 32oz feeder and it has a scale on the side for consuption. According to it 100 birds will consume a quart of 4:1 nectar in a day. So I'm around 250 birds. The Missouri Conservation magazone had an article about a guy who had 8 feeders and used 300lbs of sugar in a season

- JP

 

[mwechtal]

WOW- we only have three that visit us. That must be a sight!

we have been having trouble with wasps keeping the birds away-any advice?

Gee, you must not have Ruby Throated Hummingbirds. Ours will chase away wasps, hornets, bees, and Robbins (that aren't interested in the sugar water anyway). I swear they would chase away cats and Eagles if we had any.

They are VERY agressive little guys. When they are little, sometimes we have 2 on the feeder at once, but it's rare. The adults will absolutely not share.

Do you have bee guards on the feeder?

Mike

 

[Harleymsn]

Wow, nice pics. We have about 8-10 here. The wife has 2 feeders one is a 32 oz. and another 8 oz. one. The 8 oz will last most of the day, the quart will last about 2 days.