Sitting on the porch right now watching two hummers fight over the same feeder and neither is getting to eat.

 

We always have hummingbirds here till first frost in late November when they head south for the winter. We are covered up with birds this year! We've added additional feeders (seven total) to accommodate the 25+ birds. We enjoy watching their antics, but the daily refilling is a pain at times.



~Steven

 

I have three feeders, only one gets close to empty. I know they also feed from the flowers in our yard. They are getting pretty feisty and territorial with the feeders, which they seem to do before they leave us for the winter.

The most we've seen at one time is three. I when I look out the window in the morning and see one that has come for breakfast.

Wonderful creatures!

 

The hummingbird wars have been going on here for the past several days. We've been in drought conditions so flowers are not plentiful. I had five of them out there battling away. It was amusing that while 3 of them were fighting, the other two snuck in and drank their fill. One of them got smart and is standing guard in a branch above the feeder to fend off the intruders.

 

Do you find them fighting more at the end of the season, as if they are all trying to get their fill to fatten up before the migration to warmer areas for the winter?

They aren't quite so aggressive when they first arrive here.

 

I understand from a birdwatcher friend that they're too busy nesting and taking care of their young in the beginning of the season to be fighting. When the babies get on their own the business of getting ready for their migration (hence the fighting over feeders) begins.

 

^
Interesting! Thanks!

 

I had an interesting thing last Friday. My feeders were both empty (8 cups of nectar, total, in 6 days) so I was getting them down to refill them. There was a dead hummer perched on one. Did he pop? Sometimes, when one gets lucky enough to keep sucking it down, I wonder if they can over do it? Anyway, I took the bird in the house and my and I inspected it. He had a pretty red head, but only if you got the light just right did you see it. He also had a small area on his head that looked like he'd been poked a few too many times. It was bald of feathers. Another animal over the back wall.

 

^^ I guess there are casualties in the hummingbird wars.

 

Hey Lainey
watch for the broad bill hummingbirds down your way.

there was a big hubbub in the birding world over the last few days as these were seen on the cape.