Do hummingbirds have rituals?

17 years ago

Reason I ask? I have been sitting on a lounge chair each night for a about two weeks listening to my ipod and watching my garden from 7:30 to 8:45. As many of you know I have a male that returns to my feeder, but I am seeing that in the last few days he seems to be developing a ritual.

He comes just about 8:00 each night. He always comes from, and leaves, in the same direction. The first feeding each day he first flies to the same branch, and then to the same feeder out of the four that I have. He even flies to the same port each time. After drinking for about 30 seconds he flies to that same branch and sits for a few minutes and then flies off to where he came from. He comes back two more times after the first about 15 minutes apart, but the second and third time he does not go to the branch at all.

I find it amazing that he comes at the same times each night, goes to the same feeder port on the same feeder each time, etc...

Is this typical of hummingbirds?

Ken

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Comments (4)

penny1947
17 years ago
Ken
Yes this is very typical of hummer behavior. There are times that I can actually set my watch by the time a hummer comes to a particular feeder.

Penny
eigdeh
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks Penny! I find it interesting the new ritual that is developing. Perhaps I will tell my family to be sitting by the window feeder tonight at 8:02. LOL
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penny1947
17 years ago
Ken, Now that the days are getting a little shorter, you might have them go to the window at 7:58. LOL!

Penny
hummersteve
17 years ago
Ken

I notice some rituals as them arriving at first light and feeding heavy just before quitting for the night. A couple of things I notice here is there is one male who seems to like to come and perch on certain middle branch of my coral honeysuckle to guard and survey his area, several times a day I can see him there. Another item of notice is when they quit for the night I can always tell. When a hummer is done it will always leave in the same direction and it is sort of a slower lazy exit as compared to all the frenzied movements of the day. At times I have caught myself saying "goodnight" upon seeing this. Im also convinced many of the males I did have are gone. But Im not worried as many more will be moving thru the area from now thru august, at least.

Steve