hummingbird chasing chickadees around?

18 years ago

I've been lucky this year: I have at least 3 ruby throated hummingbirds who visit my backyard frequently at all times during the day and I've been having so much fun watching them. I'm surprised how bold they are, and inquisitive. I sit on these stone stairs about 10ft from a honeysuckle which they adore and they often fly right up to me and give me a good looking over as they hover there. They love to chase eachother away from their favorite food sources- often giving these cute little chirping noises. But what's most surprising is they like to chase away chickadees! I have a regular bird feeder also in my backyard which the chickadees like to visit and oftentimes a hummingbird will go out of it's way to chase a chickadee throughout the backyard. Any idea why such a behavior? Is it playfull or territorial or what? The chickadees eats seeds, so it can't be over food. Also there would be several sparrows in the same area and the hummingbird never seems to attempt to chase them away, though I could be wrong. I think my father said he saw them chasing the sparrows too!

What fascinated birds!

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Comments (7)

jap373
18 years ago
yes, they do that here too. This is really my first year birdwatching and I've been fascinated by the behaviors as well. The hummers are fierce little creatures, so bold, and yet there are some that are exceedingly camera shy...I wait and wait and wait to get a good shot, but the minute I lift the camera, he's gone!! I'm enjoying the challenge tho :-)

such fun...

--Jane in BR,LA
harryshoe zone6 eastern Pennsylvania
18 years ago
The dominate hummer in my yard is just plain belligerant. It spends its entire day guarding the yard and chasing other birds. It attacks all birds, regardless of size, if they come near her favorite perching spots. Surprisingly, she leaves them alone when they are on the seed feeder, but refuses to let them perch nearby.
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tracey_nj6
18 years ago
My hummers have been having too much fun lately; chasing each other around like little kids. There was an awful racket going on at the suet feeder; the starlings were also going crazy. Well, one of the two hummers chasing each other went over to check out the noise, and hovered closely to the starlings for about 20 seconds. If I only could've caught THAT on film ;)
Deb__H
18 years ago
I have a juvie male who likes the butterfly bush. He was chasing away butterflies over the weekend. Some of them chased back, but that didn't stop him.

Deb in PA
texaspuddyprint
18 years ago
Oh yeah, the hummies will chase away anything! They zip and zoom around butterflies and the butterflies try to follow them as well. I also have several feeders hanging from my back porch eave...where the suppport beams are made of cedar...of which I have those big black carpenter bees make holes in. Those bees try to get into their holes and the hummies chase them away. I like that.

Of course, the hummies will 'try' to scare off the mockingbird and great kiskadees - talk about a real territorial battle!!!

Guess the most fun is just sitting back and watching them chase each other all over the place. They are getting quite bold and hover under my porch roof. You can see them doing that air dance fractions of inches from the ceiling. I keep trying to get photos but am always out in the yard when they do that.

~ Cat
penny1947
18 years ago
My babiez have chased away chicadeez, sparrowz, and goldfinchez.

Penny
sjollie
15 years ago
We have 2 chickadees that eat from the humming bird feeder fun to watch. I have 4 feeders an maybe 8 hummers that are always chasing the chickadees an other hummers it's like a circus fun to watch!