Humming Birds

[renegaderuby]

Having a really good year with the humming birds. we have up to about fifeteen I'd say. we have two or three different species coming. YAY! But I've noticed that we have one male that is a TURD. He chases everyone off BOTH the feeders. My mom (who is a humm bird fanatic) says to hang one in the front, and one in the back and that will solve the problem.
But I find when we do that...I "miss" seeing them..because when I'm looking at the back...they go to the front, and vise versa.

anyone have any suggestions how I can leave them in the same area, but have "turd boy" not feel so "agressive" and chase em all off?

Also..anyone ever have any luck "hand" feeding them? I want to try it..but not sure if it actually works.

[hazelrunpack]

Try hanging 2 or 3 feeders in a loose group--a few feet apart. With that many birds coming, the birds will find it impossible to defend the feeders. I think they realize that they're spending all their time chasing and not getting any eating time, so they give it up and get more sociable.

Are you far enough south to have hummers all year, or do they all split for winter? We get hundreds in summer but this time of year we're at about the end of our season. It's sad to see them go, but I always worry about the stragglers. We had a hard freeze the night before last and we still have one cute but naive adolescent hanging around...

[renegaderuby]

Well it seems they dissapear for winter time...but that may be because we take the feeders down. My mom insists that they wont go where they are suppose to if I leave them up. But I've read that is a myth so I am completely confused. I dont know weather to leave them up or not? I guess I could leave them up , when it starts getting cold and see what happens. I do have the two feeders that I have up a few feet apart..and they are all buzzing around like bee's. I even have a few fiesty females that have had enough of "turd boy" and have given him a taste of his own medicine this morning. They are more active when it gets evening time (last feeds before sleeping)...and they hang out in our flowering pear tree for the most part.
I thought about getting a third feeder and hanging it from there...but I guess I really want to "watch" them...so thats why I hang them on the porch.
But...given your idea that a few feet apart should solve the problem...I'll stick with what I'm doing. Maybe "turd" boy will eventually realise he's chasing more than feeding.
I have one TEENY TINY little baby boy humming bird coming around. He seems to get picked on by the others. Was so proud of him yesterday when he finally had enough of a rather persistant big female, and whacked her good with his head, and beak. She flew off, and I didnt see "her" again for another 20 mins. HA! I have some , I cant tell the difference between them. But turd boy and baby boy are very striking, so...they stick out.

Hope your "straggler" gets the "push" to go where he's suppose to. LOL

[hazelrunpack]

Up here the rule of thumb is to leave the feeders out for 10 days after you've seen the 'last' hummer. That way, any stragglers that you've missed will have a diner available, and 10 days should be more than enough time for the stragglers to all make it through. Leaving the feeders up will not encourage them to stay. The migration instinct is pretty strong. When they need to go, they'll go.

I think the last broods were out late this year. The migration is running a bit late, too--normally, they'd all be gone by now. I think our straggler is a young'un and I'm hoping he's not hurt. He acts a little bewildered sometimes. If he doesn't hurry, though, he's going to get caught by winter, so if he's hurt, he's gonna hafta heal quick or winter over in hazel's basement with her impatiens plants, a nectar feeder and fruit flies for supper

[renegaderuby]

aww...hope he isnt hurt. But I guess..if he does "winter" in your basement..sounds like a place to be . Fruit flies..YUM...ha! How would you get him in there thou? I'm just curious..but I've heard its near impossible to cacth one of those little boogers.
I'm a total moron when it comes to them. I just put the feeders out, and they come.
My mom yells at me that I'm hurting them...because I just do really strong sugar water. I buy the nectar sometimes...but truthfully..they seem to go after the sugar water more than the nectar. So....
I do notice they seem to PREFER it when I put MORE sugar than suggested. Mom says I'm giving them a "drunken" feeling..and they are getting tipsy. I tell mom she's nutty. That they still fly, and are "happy" ..so phewy on her.
I guess I should google and learn about them. Who knows...maybe I'll start collecting humming birds, instead of DACHS. LOL ...(god knows it would be cheaper).

PS: thanks for the time limit rule of thumb. I'll do just that. Right now we still have quite a few...so I'll just keep feeding em as long as they are here .

[doggy lover]

Hazelrunpack I still had my two hummingbirds last weekend up in northern ontario don't know if they are still there frost warnings up there tonight so they might be heading south now. I have a turd one to I have two feeders and he is alway chasing the other one away from either feeder even though they are at least 10 feet apart but its fun to watch them swoop and dive.. I love hummingbirds they are fascinating.

[renegaderuby]

Well I read up on hand feeding them. It seems simple enough. I sat for about twenty mins closer to the feeder than I normally do. they wouldnt come eat out of it..but they were buzzing around chirping at me and checking me out. i'll keep doing it every day until they decide to feed with me sitting there. .Then i'll get closer and closer until I can actually hold the feeder..and so forth. google it if your curious. Its rather facinating to see pictures of humming birds perched on peoples hands. Course this also means I'll have to SIT STILL , and keep ruby from barking at the screen door cause mom is "away" from her for longer than five mins. LOL

Well after googling. I see we have "five" species coming to eat. We have ruby throated, broad tailed, anna's, magnificents, and lucifers. Not bad for two little ole feeders in the country.

[hazelrunpack]

Originally Posted by renegaderuby

aww...hope he isnt hurt. But I guess..if he does "winter" in your basement..sounds like a place to be . Fruit flies..YUM...ha! How would you get him in there thou? I'm just curious..but I've heard its near impossible to cacth one of those little boogers.

I was being facetious. You aren't allowed to keep hummers, even if you could catch them. As migratory birds, they're protected by some pretty stiff federal laws and you need lots of permits to even attempt it legally.

Luckily, I don't need to even joke about it anymore--he's been joined by two others today and I suspect they'll all take off together soon for parts south.

I know people who have gotten their hummers to eat from their hands. With patience, you'll have them eating out of yours in no time! I've never tried it, but plenty of times they've started eating out of the feeder I had in hand before I even get it hung up for them!

[renegaderuby]

I FEEL SLIGHTLY "STUPID" now . Sorry I missed the humor and thought you were serious. LOL.
Well if they will eat out of my hands, I think I'll have a new hobbie. I think that is just probably one of the most prettyiest little creatures god ever put on this earth (besides my fur babies, of course...but then again..I'm a little partial).

[hazelrunpack]

hazel is always crackin' jokes...and gettin' in trouble for it!

I gotta agree with you about hummers being some of the prettiest little creatures on God's green earth!

Originally Posted by doggy lover

Hazelrunpack I still had my two hummingbirds last weekend up in northern ontario don't know if they are still there frost warnings up there tonight so they might be heading south now.

I hope so! Despite the freeze, ours are still lingering. I can't ever remember them hanging around so late!

[renegaderuby]

Want a giggle. Trooper kitty decided he was going to "hunt" hummers the other day. Knowing that likely hood of him actually "catching" one was highly unlikely...my husband just watches him. He sits and watches, then CREEPS up onto a big dog house we have for him for his "outside lounging"...and then he LEAPS at one with no warning , misses the porch rail entirely, and lands on the ground with a "well &$^*" look on his face...shakes it off...walks back up the steps, walks over to a spot on the porch and GLARES at them like "*&^&" hummers...and proceeds to sit there with that annoyed, look on his face for about 10 mins.

I laughed so hard. Kitty not hurt (unless you count pride)..and the hummers were like..."nannie nannie boo boo". Forgot to mention that this is the SECOND time trooper has done this. LOL. Apparently..he's not learned his lesson yet!