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Hummingbird Garden
momto6_gw

Are Hummers teritorial??

20 years ago

We hung a feeder for the first time this year. Under it are several nectar flowers, and we have a Redbud tree nearby. We have one female hummingbird that spends her day chasing other hummingbirds away from the feeder, the flowers and the tree. She runs from the fence under the feeder to the redbud and keeps a good eye on the feeder. Sometimes she'll allow one or the other smaller birds to drink, and occassionally one or another bird will lure her away, and the others will get a drink, but mostly she chases most of the birds off, and is not often fooled by the "lure her away" game that they play.

In the later evenings, I really think that they are just playing, and not really interested in drinking, since one will lure her away, and the others will just fly up and hoover near the feeder, but not drink, until she comes up and chases it away, then the other will come in and hoover. And she "yells" at them. Halfway across the yard.. It's really funny, and we really enjoy our "after dinner entertainment". =0) But it's got us to wondering...... Is she being territorial? Or playing? She seems to "allow" herself to be lured sometimes, and sometimes not. I have seen her keep 4 hummers off the feeder, and yet sometimes allows some to drink, going so far as to hoover a little ways away and let the little ones drink before diving in and chasing them off.

I'm not concerned about the hummers that don't seem to ever get a drink from the feeder, there's enough flowers in the rest of the yard for all of them and any freinds they might bring. Just wondering what's up? Is she guarding? Could she have a nest somewhere close? (But she doesn't chase US, just the birds) Is she just being territorial? Decided that it's HER feeder? Or is this just one of the hummingbird games? Or maybe a learning process for babies?

I appreciate any insight you may be able to provide this newbie, enjoying the hummers up close for the first time this year. =0)

Mil

Comments (5)

  • 20 years ago

    Yes they are very territorial. Some species more than others. And yes, more dominant ones will perch where they can defend the "food" (whether plants, swarms of insects regularly buzzing around, or a feeder) in a territory. Some will even defend multiple feeders if they are within sight of a perch. Usually the males do more of the defending, but many of us regularly see females acting almost as aggressively and claiming a feeder for themselves. The ruby-throated, which is the most common in the eastern half of the U.S., is one of the aggressive ones, rarely sharing except during migration times.

  • 20 years ago

    This sounds exactly like the typical hummer yard. Mine are the same and I also have a territorial female. I have a male that will perch sometimes and defend the yard for himself but not as often as the female does. Any typical day there are no less then 20 hummer scuffs going on around the yard and they even chase away the butterflies and other birds. I just had to move my other bird feeder in the back yesterday because I saw the hummers divebombing a house finch from the feeder. (Hopefully they know enough to keep away from the mockingbirds that scourage).

    Put another feeder where they might not see each other. It may not be in your view but they will still come around the house and believe me your territorial female may even allow some on "her" side of the house while she goes to check it out.

    I have one female that owns one of the feeders, another one that owns one that is out of the sight of that one and one that owns my flowers and I've never seen her at a feeder except to check it out and go to the nearby vines.

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  • 20 years ago

    What's really funny is that I put another feeder away from sight from the other and my territorial male just perched HIGHER up so he could watch BOTH feeders! It's a trip watching him buzzing back and forth trying to fend off one of the others that is sneaking a quick slurp! :)

  • 20 years ago

    They are funny birds. I just watched one of the skiddish males come to the tree to see if the costt is clear before he went to the feeder. The same time a juvinile did the same thing and all of a sudden the head honcho male swooped in and chased them both. The funny part was another male came in that was watching from another tree and had a meal in peace.

  • 20 years ago

    Thank you all for your responses. This is the first time I have heard a hummer make any other noise besides the hum from their wings. But she'll chase off these interlopers and chatter at them halfway across the yard. Thank you again.

    Mil

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