You have the right idea on number of feeders, but you need just a few more birds to exaust the bully. It usually takes 6-8 birds after 4 feeders at my house to fully drain the energy out of the bully. This is the same process every year at my house. First 1, then 2, then 4 and so on until I have 10-20 birds on the feeders all summer. I have 10-30 or more currently.

Males generally stake out their feeders, and only let the "chosen" female use it. If there are many females in the area, you may see them all use it, sometimes all at the same time. The male who has staked out your feeder, will almost always chase off any other males and sometimes the females too. Good luck, they'll all have to get used to mulitple feeders.

Hi there,

I read your post on houzz and thought you would like to read the following. I am including a link to a great article about how to handle bully hummingbirds that want to control everything. Here's the link:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussions/1980329/hummingbird-is-guarding-the-feeder

We named out dictator Donald. What did you name yours? Lol!

Sincerely,

Mary

i understood that the Rufus is the most likely culprit as a bully at the feeder... i had one that sat on the power cable about 10yards from my feeder late in the season.

ya gotta be a quick drinker 'round here or like the saying goes... "last one to the dinner table goes hungry" as my rendition is... "slow sippers are thirsty birds"

I call them "boss birds". I usually have one on every feeder. As soon as it migrates, another takes it's place. On some occasions I have seen serious fights between them, and I think they sometimes get injured in the fights, One time a boss bird had perched on top of a feeder, and hummers were all over the place. Finally one flew at full speed and blind sided the boss tumbling him off and almost to the ground before he recovered. I had one get it's beak stuck in the screen door while fighting. One crashed and got itself wedged between the feeder perch and the feeder. Others were taking turns coming and pulling feathers out of it's butt till I went out to set it free. Greed is in their genes.

1-3 times a week or so we get a bully at the feeder. He will perch on the tree branch right between the two feeders and chase all the other hummies away for hours. I'll sit down with the garden hose 10 feet away from the feeders and spray near (not directly at) the bully. This chases him away for only a few seconds. He will fly behind the fence and hide from my site, then immediately come after any hummingbird that comes near. I'll spray at the fence to make him relocate. He will persist and I keep on spraying till after 7-10 minutes he will give up. You would think 4-5 sprays would deter him, but it takes 20-25 times. Persistent little things! Please, Never spray directly at the bird because they are very fragile. Bully or not, we don't want to injur the little brat. He's got his reasons to guard the feeder, we just don't agree haha. Just spraying in his general direction is enough to shoo him away, and eventually make him give up.

Just leave the birds alone!! This is completely normal hummingbird behavior so don't try to impress your feelings or wishes on what comes naturally to the birds. Add more feeders if you feel the need but don't spray or otherwise chase the dominant bird away - he is only doing what his instincts and genetics are telling him to do.

btw, none of these birds being chased off are going hungry. They will get to the feeders when they can and they will also get nectar from other sources, including living plants. And nectar is only an energy supplement anyway - they consume a great deal of insect matter as well.

Yes but i did know it was bullying behaviour.

You move one dominant bird and another will take its place. its nature -

All u can do is make sure the feeders are not near each other. And the more the better that really all you can do.

We have a similar problem as the initial poster but the hummingbird we have doesn’t leave the feeder He sits on the feeder all puffed up all day long i thought he was aick at first when i noticed him about three weeks ago because he barely moves but he chases half the other hummingbirds away so he is mobile is this mornal or is he sick?

The "Hitler" hummer's behavior is normal. Put up several seeders, let him guard an empty one!