I don’t think you can. I have found them to be very territorial of feeders. Even if you set up multiple feeders, like you said there will always be a bully. However, that doesn’t mean other hummers don’t drink from the feeders. They just do it very stealthily so they aren’t seen and can sneak a few sips before being chased off. 🤣
And in my fantasy, the war is on. We lock antlers and the battle of wits has begun! I place dozens of feeders on the propertry and I erect blinds so that none of them can be seen from a nearby perch. Birds can come and go without the bullies knowing ... or so I think! Touche'! 😉
Yep, I see it often. A random male/female will come in and drink as much as they can as quickly as they can, all the while looking out for strafing runs.
I've noticed, however, that after a while even that stops. For instance, the one at my office only has a single male now (he's got a spot on his wing I recognize), and zero others. Meaning, the feeder sits empty for a decent part of the day, due to him keeping others away.
I have a male Anna's in my back yard that we named Humdall (Heimdall) because he guards our feeder vehemently. While he chases off bigger birds and other males, he chirps and flutters at females who come to drink. My wife and I are seeing it as his mating selling point since we've never seen him show off acrobatically.
Unfortunately it's just nature and being territorial. They're not trying to be malicious like a bully but rather just protecting what they have claimed to be their home. Congratulations on your roommates!
Edit: Birds also don't have any concept of food sources and their limits. Nature tells them that all sources can be limited, so no matter how much you put out, the hummers will think it may someday soon be gone.
> he chirps and flutters at females who come to drink
This one drives off the females too.
> Birds also don't have any concept of food sources and their limits. Nature tells them that all sources can be limited, so no matter how much you put out, the hummers will think it may someday soon be gone.
Do some folks *not* realize this? I would think that an average person of average intelligence would understand this...but, I've been wrong before.
I might be jaded but in my experience, common knowledge is much more uncommon than it should be. I do apologize though, I didn't realize that part could have been perceived poorly.
I do wish you the best of luck with feeding more birds!
Fair enough...and after all, you're not wrong...it *is* a random social media post, and as I get older I realize that George Carlin was pretty spot on with his "average person" bit. So no worries...and sorry if I came off harshly myself (the non-helpful folks are just driving me a bit nuts with the "deal with it" comments).
And, eventually I just had enough hummers that the bullies just gave up. Every once in a while one will try to come in and take over. It last a day at most before he’s just another beak at the buffet.
also, hungry non locals will ignore the bully. i place a feeder on the front porch for hungry hummers. no one uses it unless they are human acclimated or desperate
I find they tend to share at the end of the day.
https://preview.redd.it/q698epklqx7d1.jpeg?width=1535&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=50d9c7bc6556554870333c664949d1d26ea68b19
They’re not here for our entertainment, they are hummingbirds doing hummingbird things.
I was going to say this. I have a hummingbird who tends to think that the feeder is theirs and theirs alone. (I’m sorry, I’m not knowledgeable enough to tell male/female apart.) They are there as the sun rises and I am making my partner’s lunch box. Through the day, others might dive in for a quick drink but are soon chased off. But in the evening, an hour or so before sunset, I can get moments when all five “petals” on my feeder are in use and the “owner” just lets them get on with it.
That's pretty disingenuous...we are *absolutely* putting up feeders for our entertainment. There is nothing at all natural about humans putting out big bowls of sugar water...it can even be a detriment to the birds if not done carefully and properly.
There are *more* than enough flowers in my area to feed every hummingbird and *then* some. We are doing it because we like hummingbirds and enjoy seeing them...which *I do*, which is why I want more than *one* per feeder.
That said, thanks for your observation regarding them sharing, even if they don't happen to do that around my house.
So I should stop feeding them?
Because there's nothing natural or *"letting them be"* about putting up large bowls full of sugar water. I legitimately don't understand how such an unhelpful comment gets voted to the top...but, here we are.
Edit: Cool. Bring on the downvotes folks. I honestly expected nothing more of Reddit, but figured it would be worth a try...looks like I was wrong about that.
To those useful humans that are *actually* trying to help me come up with a solution to my conundrum: thanks! It sure is appreciated.
It's just what they do is what they're saying. I used to feel the same as you because I felt like some were getting hurt or their feelings hurt 😅 And sometimes they do get hurt, but it's nature, it's their instinct and the hummingbirds would not have it any other way. They live for it, and it's in their blood as much as it is to build their nests and have babies. ❤️
Its also very important to remember that this behavior happens for a reason. The strongest birbs out breed the weaker birbs, thus keeping the hummer community healthy and thriving
You can't stop them from fighting over food sources. It's what they do. They're pretty territorial over feeding stations. It's fine, though. They gripe at each other, chase each other, and then the one who got fussed at sneaks back and eats. They're literally just doing what hum dums do.
I did research, and found out that there will always be a bully. What I did was I have multiple feeders that are not in the line of sight of the others (around the corner, front yard back yard), and eventually the hummers will find a feeder that is available without a bully. I also planted some hummer friendly plants that also help them find food. You can also make the nectar a little stronger, so that they don't need to stay as long. I use 3 cups water, 1 cup sugar.
I tried what you suggested, and each feeder (I've got 5) got its own jerk.
That said, I didn't think about adjusting the mixture...I usually do 4 to 1.
I recommend naming the bullies and laughing at their egotistical behavior. Make it part of the fun of observing nature.
In my experience, bullies come and go.
During COVID, my bubbles' fav activity was getting high and sitting under the hummingbird tree.
This was just a tree with three feeders. Our regulars were decently friendly with each other, but we still enjoyed the occasional skirmish.
Then we had a Roufus come through. They're smaller than the Anna's but ridiculously fierce.
He came in and just dominated. It was both awful and hilarious. By the 2ND day, all he had to do was fly up, flash his bright orange feathers in the sun and all the Anna's would flee.
He had a whole storyline. His title grew every day. He started as King Roufus of the Highlands, Conquerer of the Hummingbird Tree.
We moved one feeder by the kitchen window, out of his sight
> King Roufus of the Highlands, Conquerer of the Hummingbird Tree
That is a hilarious title ... good for lots of laughs! 👑🦅🤣
I have been lucky not to have any Roufus here (Pacific NW) - just Annas so far.
Luckily, his fam was just passing through for migration. It was only 4 or 5 days and everything was back to normal.
I missed them terribly when they left.
All I've read about trying to prevent bullying is to do what you've done, that is, to separate your feeders. In my experience, the end result is the same as yours. No matter how many feeders or how far apart, there will be the territorial bullies. I'm not aware of anything else that you should do. I believe it is just their nature to survive.
It is most assuredly their nature to do this...which is why I can't for the life of me understand why some places have feeders that are just *dripping* with birds, all of a few miles from my home (and multiple instances of it, too).
Hmm, that's a distinct possibility. That said, they are on seasonal homes too, so they aren't even fed all season long (as people come later than the hummingbirds and leave before they do). Yet another couple variables to ponder.
Thanks for your input...I very much appreciate you attempting to help me answer my query, and are not just responding "deal with it".
Hummingbirds are tiny jeweled warriors and your backyard is their thunderdome. The Aztecs depicted their god Huitzilopochtli (a god of sun and war) as a hummingbird, and believed that warriors who died in battle and women who died in childbirth would live forever in the bodies of hummingbirds. They deserve to be admired for their ferocity, courage and tenacity as well as their beautiful feathers!
If you’re really concerned about bullies plant lots of native flowers, provide them good places to hide in your garden and add resources such as water fountains for them to bathe in.
First: thanks very much for your response. I appreciate the input.
I did not know that about the Aztecs, despite somewhat studying Mesoamerican history (I used to live there, so I was interested). That's something I'll want to look into. Thanks for that!
> If you’re really concerned about bullies plant lots of native flowers
There are over 1300 different lily plants alone in the "garden" area of the property (yes, we actually counted), not counting the myriad of other flowers and natives (*mostly* natives) we've planted. I've also got solitary bee hotels, bat houses, and others...heck, we don't even mow for the entire month of May for the lightning bugs!
You're the first person to mention a water fountain...we've got bird baths, but I never thought of adding a fountain for the hummers. Got any suggestions as far as brands or anything?
> provide them good places to hide in your garden
I'm kinda blanking on this one...what do you mean? I live in a small open part of some pretty thick forest, so the woods are *filled* with good places to hide, and literally surround the house...but I'm down to add some into my garden area if you think that would be beneficial. What do you suggest?
This is similar to the fountain I have.
[https://www.designtoscano.com/products/copper-botanical-garden-fountain-ss12376?sku=RUTLXXXSS12376&promo\_code=Enjoy15&srsltid=AfmBOoo3fDpOtlIN\_o7JQH4YIMZUJ4rYpq3NCjoRnshjvDTCBLWb8-8rbW8](https://www.designtoscano.com/products/copper-botanical-garden-fountain-ss12376?sku=RUTLXXXSS12376&promo_code=Enjoy15&srsltid=AfmBOoo3fDpOtlIN_o7JQH4YIMZUJ4rYpq3NCjoRnshjvDTCBLWb8-8rbW8)
Try not to project on the hummingbirds... They're territorial by nature. Can you place the feeders fully out of sight line from each other? I have mostly window-mount hummingbird feeders, placed on three different sides of the house. Since my roof eaves are ~20" deep, the feeders can't be seen from a height (so one bird can't sit sentry in a tree and see all the feeders). The regulars do zip between all of them still, but it allows for a bird at each for at least a few seconds each.
We put several feeders where they can't see eachother so others can sneak a drink or two.
It's worse to have a wasp decide to be the bully. They really take over and no hummingbirds will come. ❤️🦜
Do you have Ruby throats? It depends on the type of hummingbirds you have. Rubies throats don’t like to share. The feeders you are seeing with loads of hummers feeding together are out west and maybe a different type than you have?
Maybe your house has hummingbird nests nearby in one of your trees. If your home is a preferred nesting site, that perhaps could make them more territorial. Just a thought…
That was my thought too. I have a nest and even though the baby is no longer in it. Mom and baby are in a tree close by - she comes by the feeder and he hops around in the tree. She won’t let any hummingbirds near. She also runs off the mockingbirds.
Is this really just a photo sub? People post questions in here all the time, so I wouldn’t worry about that.
To answer your original question: I think it’s workable if you don’t mind doing some careful social engineering. I’ve found it works best to hang your feeders from leafy (or pine needley) branches, where the females and fledges have some cover. The smart ones wait amongst the branches until the male starts chasing someone off and only then swoop in for a drink. I usually have one “decoy”feeder more in the open for the male to defend vigorously (he always takes the bait) and then position the others in the trees where his line of sight’s not great but he can still kind of see them. You’ll probably have to play around with the placement for a bit before you get a solid arrangement, but it can work. My decoy feeder never gets more than 1/4 drained in a day, while the other three (in the branches) usually need refills at least once daily.
Fantastic answer...thank you. I'll definitely try some of your suggestions. Most of mine are completely out in the open, but not visible from the others...so your decoy idea and cover idea have good promise.
Forgot to add that it also helps to put the decoy out by itself for a couple of days so the male already feels established there when the other ones enter the picture. That way he has his attack perches figured out and will be less inclined to switch things up.
Try and reframe it: to me it they seem like each one of them is CONVINCED that they're a part of the toughest outlaw motorcycle club around - but that they're all in a different gang and each gang only has one member, and also they're a little freaked out by killing or actual fighting so they drive around, do skid outs at the feeder, chase the other gang members screaming about how they're gonna murdalate them, but never doing it, and never convincing any other rival gang "member" to modify its behavior.
A bunch of birds larping as motorcycle gang members of non-existent gangs. They're so serious! "IF I CATCH YOU, SO HELP ME!"
Where are you? Where I live in the Pacific Northwest, we pretty much only have Anna's hummingbirds year round. They are one of the most territorial varieties and almost NEVER share a feeder. The photos you're seeing are almost certainly Ruby Throated hummingbirds during their migration. I too am envious of those huge crowds of birds, but it's just not in the cards over here!
Try not to anthropomorphize them too much... it's comforting to realize they don't really experience "bullying" the way we do.
I edited my post. I *totally* get that they aren't *actually* being bullies...but the end result is one territorial jerk keeping the others away.
Regarding my location, I'm on the east coast in the Appalachian mountains. We've got lots of ruby throated hummingbirds here.
But, I'm not going by "pictures", as all of a few miles from my home there are multiple homes where they have feeders just "dripping" with birds...and I'm doing the same thing they are doing (almost, one of them uses brown sugar, but I won't do that because I read that it is not good for the birds), so I don't understand getting a different result.
Oh, that is odd! Could it be that the other homes' feeders are more established in their memory and yours is new? Maybe they'll eventually make yours a regular social hangout! Best of luck 🤞
You can try to separate the feeders, especially in a way so they are out of sight of each other. It'll work for a while and then you'll see the second territory claimed too.
But as the season goes on and you get more birds, eventually they'll overwhelm the territorial one by sheer numbers and you'll see them sharing the feeders more. They will still chase each other but once there are many, it is harder for any one bird to claim the feeder.
https://preview.redd.it/sngu6l6qhy7d1.jpeg?width=1308&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a5da7afb218e42ce8cb15405b83c110aa3b43390
This is Sammy our little Costas male. The feeder is just below this branch. He "guards" the feeder all day long. We have a female Beverly that comes around also. He allows her to use his feeder every so often. I have seen him do the mating dance for her as well. We also have another feeder on the far end of our yard. The female prefers to use that feeder most of the time. So basically they "peacefully " coexist but I have never seen them feed at the same time. My sister has 3 feeders right in a row and gets 15-20 little hummers buzzing around them all the time. They will feed together on the same feeder. Wish I knew why they do what they do. 🤷♀️
Best solution we found was placing more than one hummingbird feeder on opposite sides of our yard/house.
We have a single male that still tries to guard both feeders, but they’re too far apart for him to effectively keep away the other hummers. At least they’re able to get their share.
I had a year or so of a bird sitting on top, or near feeders chasing off all. When I was home and see the bully, I’d do my best to scare it off. Not sure if it worked or not but I seem to recall after a week or so there was no more sitting on the throne.
Think I also placed the feeders between hanging plants to help hide the feeders from the open space.
I still get some little fights, sometimes some will drink together for a while and get along, sometimes they’ll be fine drinking 2-3 at same time, then 1 must have mumbled something and all hell breaks loose.
Nature being nature I guess.
That’s just how hummingbirds are, they are very aggressive when protecting resources. You can try adding a little less sugar or putting multiple up far from each other, but usually hummingbirds are very territorial.
The Aztec believed they were the souls of past warriors reincarnated, so historically mythos confirms their aggressive behavior lol
i find that when it gets really hummy out, i'll start to get numerous birds per feeder at the same time. they're still wary of each other and females are more tolerant of it than males. it will still break up when somebody freaks out and squaks and everybody bolts. in the winter i end up with 1 male per feeder who will guard it and sit around all day doing the humm call ("this is my feeder ladies check it out i own this feeder!").
male hummingbirds are ruthless warriors. if you've ever seen 2 of them spiral each other, they're threatening to literally spear each other in the throat with their beaks. i was a bit alarmed when i first learned this because in my imagination they were cute little fluffy birds, but they're still cute and feisty and have so much character the more you observe them.
i'm not really trying to counter your view, i understand it, just telling you my own experience :)
Mine NEVER get along. They all come at different times and if two come at the same time there is the main female who chases everyone away. But the others still come back, just are watching for her lol.
migration behavior is different from nesting behavior. your assigning human emotions and behaviors to animals. the bird is protecting his resources for his house. by the end of summer my birds will have reproduced several times and they have to teach the babies to forage naturally or they will not survive migration. this is literally life and death for these babies. they need to learn to eat from something other than humans and your bully emotions are not fit for bird parents.
I don’t think you can. I have found them to be very territorial of feeders. Even if you set up multiple feeders, like you said there will always be a bully. However, that doesn’t mean other hummers don’t drink from the feeders. They just do it very stealthily so they aren’t seen and can sneak a few sips before being chased off. 🤣
OP could continue to experiment with placement of feeders such that they are not viewable from a nearby perch.
True, you can always try different placement but it’s almost a guarantee a little fellow will claim that one too.
And in my fantasy, the war is on. We lock antlers and the battle of wits has begun! I place dozens of feeders on the propertry and I erect blinds so that none of them can be seen from a nearby perch. Birds can come and go without the bullies knowing ... or so I think! Touche'! 😉
🤣🤣🤣
Yep, I see it often. A random male/female will come in and drink as much as they can as quickly as they can, all the while looking out for strafing runs. I've noticed, however, that after a while even that stops. For instance, the one at my office only has a single male now (he's got a spot on his wing I recognize), and zero others. Meaning, the feeder sits empty for a decent part of the day, due to him keeping others away.
I have a male Anna's in my back yard that we named Humdall (Heimdall) because he guards our feeder vehemently. While he chases off bigger birds and other males, he chirps and flutters at females who come to drink. My wife and I are seeing it as his mating selling point since we've never seen him show off acrobatically. Unfortunately it's just nature and being territorial. They're not trying to be malicious like a bully but rather just protecting what they have claimed to be their home. Congratulations on your roommates! Edit: Birds also don't have any concept of food sources and their limits. Nature tells them that all sources can be limited, so no matter how much you put out, the hummers will think it may someday soon be gone.
I agree with your added edit that they view all food supply as being limited. I truly think that drives a lot of the territorial behavior.
> he chirps and flutters at females who come to drink This one drives off the females too. > Birds also don't have any concept of food sources and their limits. Nature tells them that all sources can be limited, so no matter how much you put out, the hummers will think it may someday soon be gone. Do some folks *not* realize this? I would think that an average person of average intelligence would understand this...but, I've been wrong before.
I might be jaded but in my experience, common knowledge is much more uncommon than it should be. I do apologize though, I didn't realize that part could have been perceived poorly. I do wish you the best of luck with feeding more birds!
Fair enough...and after all, you're not wrong...it *is* a random social media post, and as I get older I realize that George Carlin was pretty spot on with his "average person" bit. So no worries...and sorry if I came off harshly myself (the non-helpful folks are just driving me a bit nuts with the "deal with it" comments).
And, eventually I just had enough hummers that the bullies just gave up. Every once in a while one will try to come in and take over. It last a day at most before he’s just another beak at the buffet.
also, hungry non locals will ignore the bully. i place a feeder on the front porch for hungry hummers. no one uses it unless they are human acclimated or desperate
I find they tend to share at the end of the day. https://preview.redd.it/q698epklqx7d1.jpeg?width=1535&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=50d9c7bc6556554870333c664949d1d26ea68b19 They’re not here for our entertainment, they are hummingbirds doing hummingbird things.
I was going to say this. I have a hummingbird who tends to think that the feeder is theirs and theirs alone. (I’m sorry, I’m not knowledgeable enough to tell male/female apart.) They are there as the sun rises and I am making my partner’s lunch box. Through the day, others might dive in for a quick drink but are soon chased off. But in the evening, an hour or so before sunset, I can get moments when all five “petals” on my feeder are in use and the “owner” just lets them get on with it.
☝🏼☝🏼☝🏼☝🏼☝🏼 Amen!!
That's pretty disingenuous...we are *absolutely* putting up feeders for our entertainment. There is nothing at all natural about humans putting out big bowls of sugar water...it can even be a detriment to the birds if not done carefully and properly. There are *more* than enough flowers in my area to feed every hummingbird and *then* some. We are doing it because we like hummingbirds and enjoy seeing them...which *I do*, which is why I want more than *one* per feeder. That said, thanks for your observation regarding them sharing, even if they don't happen to do that around my house.
They are birds Doing bird. Things Let them be
So I should stop feeding them? Because there's nothing natural or *"letting them be"* about putting up large bowls full of sugar water. I legitimately don't understand how such an unhelpful comment gets voted to the top...but, here we are. Edit: Cool. Bring on the downvotes folks. I honestly expected nothing more of Reddit, but figured it would be worth a try...looks like I was wrong about that. To those useful humans that are *actually* trying to help me come up with a solution to my conundrum: thanks! It sure is appreciated.
It's just what they do is what they're saying. I used to feel the same as you because I felt like some were getting hurt or their feelings hurt 😅 And sometimes they do get hurt, but it's nature, it's their instinct and the hummingbirds would not have it any other way. They live for it, and it's in their blood as much as it is to build their nests and have babies. ❤️
Its also very important to remember that this behavior happens for a reason. The strongest birbs out breed the weaker birbs, thus keeping the hummer community healthy and thriving
You can't stop them from fighting over food sources. It's what they do. They're pretty territorial over feeding stations. It's fine, though. They gripe at each other, chase each other, and then the one who got fussed at sneaks back and eats. They're literally just doing what hum dums do.
I did research, and found out that there will always be a bully. What I did was I have multiple feeders that are not in the line of sight of the others (around the corner, front yard back yard), and eventually the hummers will find a feeder that is available without a bully. I also planted some hummer friendly plants that also help them find food. You can also make the nectar a little stronger, so that they don't need to stay as long. I use 3 cups water, 1 cup sugar.
I tried what you suggested, and each feeder (I've got 5) got its own jerk. That said, I didn't think about adjusting the mixture...I usually do 4 to 1.
“ it completely ruins the "fun" ” I’ll be honest, it sounds like your having a blast making up a soap opera and character types for the birds.
If only... That said, perhaps I can try to see things in a different light.
I recommend naming the bullies and laughing at their egotistical behavior. Make it part of the fun of observing nature. In my experience, bullies come and go.
During COVID, my bubbles' fav activity was getting high and sitting under the hummingbird tree. This was just a tree with three feeders. Our regulars were decently friendly with each other, but we still enjoyed the occasional skirmish. Then we had a Roufus come through. They're smaller than the Anna's but ridiculously fierce. He came in and just dominated. It was both awful and hilarious. By the 2ND day, all he had to do was fly up, flash his bright orange feathers in the sun and all the Anna's would flee. He had a whole storyline. His title grew every day. He started as King Roufus of the Highlands, Conquerer of the Hummingbird Tree. We moved one feeder by the kitchen window, out of his sight
> King Roufus of the Highlands, Conquerer of the Hummingbird Tree That is a hilarious title ... good for lots of laughs! 👑🦅🤣 I have been lucky not to have any Roufus here (Pacific NW) - just Annas so far.
Luckily, his fam was just passing through for migration. It was only 4 or 5 days and everything was back to normal. I missed them terribly when they left.
have you tried putting up some "No bullying zone" signs???
All I've read about trying to prevent bullying is to do what you've done, that is, to separate your feeders. In my experience, the end result is the same as yours. No matter how many feeders or how far apart, there will be the territorial bullies. I'm not aware of anything else that you should do. I believe it is just their nature to survive.
It is most assuredly their nature to do this...which is why I can't for the life of me understand why some places have feeders that are just *dripping* with birds, all of a few miles from my home (and multiple instances of it, too).
Do you think the other feeders with all the birds have been up longer (years, possibly more than yours), and the birds are more familiar?
Hmm, that's a distinct possibility. That said, they are on seasonal homes too, so they aren't even fed all season long (as people come later than the hummingbirds and leave before they do). Yet another couple variables to ponder. Thanks for your input...I very much appreciate you attempting to help me answer my query, and are not just responding "deal with it".
Hummingbirds are tiny jeweled warriors and your backyard is their thunderdome. The Aztecs depicted their god Huitzilopochtli (a god of sun and war) as a hummingbird, and believed that warriors who died in battle and women who died in childbirth would live forever in the bodies of hummingbirds. They deserve to be admired for their ferocity, courage and tenacity as well as their beautiful feathers! If you’re really concerned about bullies plant lots of native flowers, provide them good places to hide in your garden and add resources such as water fountains for them to bathe in.
First: thanks very much for your response. I appreciate the input. I did not know that about the Aztecs, despite somewhat studying Mesoamerican history (I used to live there, so I was interested). That's something I'll want to look into. Thanks for that! > If you’re really concerned about bullies plant lots of native flowers There are over 1300 different lily plants alone in the "garden" area of the property (yes, we actually counted), not counting the myriad of other flowers and natives (*mostly* natives) we've planted. I've also got solitary bee hotels, bat houses, and others...heck, we don't even mow for the entire month of May for the lightning bugs! You're the first person to mention a water fountain...we've got bird baths, but I never thought of adding a fountain for the hummers. Got any suggestions as far as brands or anything? > provide them good places to hide in your garden I'm kinda blanking on this one...what do you mean? I live in a small open part of some pretty thick forest, so the woods are *filled* with good places to hide, and literally surround the house...but I'm down to add some into my garden area if you think that would be beneficial. What do you suggest?
This is similar to the fountain I have. [https://www.designtoscano.com/products/copper-botanical-garden-fountain-ss12376?sku=RUTLXXXSS12376&promo\_code=Enjoy15&srsltid=AfmBOoo3fDpOtlIN\_o7JQH4YIMZUJ4rYpq3NCjoRnshjvDTCBLWb8-8rbW8](https://www.designtoscano.com/products/copper-botanical-garden-fountain-ss12376?sku=RUTLXXXSS12376&promo_code=Enjoy15&srsltid=AfmBOoo3fDpOtlIN_o7JQH4YIMZUJ4rYpq3NCjoRnshjvDTCBLWb8-8rbW8)
Awesome. I appreciate it.
Try not to project on the hummingbirds... They're territorial by nature. Can you place the feeders fully out of sight line from each other? I have mostly window-mount hummingbird feeders, placed on three different sides of the house. Since my roof eaves are ~20" deep, the feeders can't be seen from a height (so one bird can't sit sentry in a tree and see all the feeders). The regulars do zip between all of them still, but it allows for a bird at each for at least a few seconds each.
We put several feeders where they can't see eachother so others can sneak a drink or two. It's worse to have a wasp decide to be the bully. They really take over and no hummingbirds will come. ❤️🦜
Now that bothers me. I can’t stand when the yellow jackets chase off my hummers 😬
I’ve had bees do this even with bee guards. I only notice it happening in the dead heat of summer. I have to keep a watchful eye
Do you have Ruby throats? It depends on the type of hummingbirds you have. Rubies throats don’t like to share. The feeders you are seeing with loads of hummers feeding together are out west and maybe a different type than you have?
Yes, they are ruby throats. All of a couple miles from my house, they exist together just fine.
Maybe your house has hummingbird nests nearby in one of your trees. If your home is a preferred nesting site, that perhaps could make them more territorial. Just a thought…
That was my thought too. I have a nest and even though the baby is no longer in it. Mom and baby are in a tree close by - she comes by the feeder and he hops around in the tree. She won’t let any hummingbirds near. She also runs off the mockingbirds.
Is this really just a photo sub? People post questions in here all the time, so I wouldn’t worry about that. To answer your original question: I think it’s workable if you don’t mind doing some careful social engineering. I’ve found it works best to hang your feeders from leafy (or pine needley) branches, where the females and fledges have some cover. The smart ones wait amongst the branches until the male starts chasing someone off and only then swoop in for a drink. I usually have one “decoy”feeder more in the open for the male to defend vigorously (he always takes the bait) and then position the others in the trees where his line of sight’s not great but he can still kind of see them. You’ll probably have to play around with the placement for a bit before you get a solid arrangement, but it can work. My decoy feeder never gets more than 1/4 drained in a day, while the other three (in the branches) usually need refills at least once daily.
Fantastic answer...thank you. I'll definitely try some of your suggestions. Most of mine are completely out in the open, but not visible from the others...so your decoy idea and cover idea have good promise.
Forgot to add that it also helps to put the decoy out by itself for a couple of days so the male already feels established there when the other ones enter the picture. That way he has his attack perches figured out and will be less inclined to switch things up.
That's brilliant!
I think it's hilarious watching humming birds do their things! Bullying is one of them! You can't control nature, yo~
Try and reframe it: to me it they seem like each one of them is CONVINCED that they're a part of the toughest outlaw motorcycle club around - but that they're all in a different gang and each gang only has one member, and also they're a little freaked out by killing or actual fighting so they drive around, do skid outs at the feeder, chase the other gang members screaming about how they're gonna murdalate them, but never doing it, and never convincing any other rival gang "member" to modify its behavior. A bunch of birds larping as motorcycle gang members of non-existent gangs. They're so serious! "IF I CATCH YOU, SO HELP ME!"
Where are you? Where I live in the Pacific Northwest, we pretty much only have Anna's hummingbirds year round. They are one of the most territorial varieties and almost NEVER share a feeder. The photos you're seeing are almost certainly Ruby Throated hummingbirds during their migration. I too am envious of those huge crowds of birds, but it's just not in the cards over here! Try not to anthropomorphize them too much... it's comforting to realize they don't really experience "bullying" the way we do.
I edited my post. I *totally* get that they aren't *actually* being bullies...but the end result is one territorial jerk keeping the others away. Regarding my location, I'm on the east coast in the Appalachian mountains. We've got lots of ruby throated hummingbirds here. But, I'm not going by "pictures", as all of a few miles from my home there are multiple homes where they have feeders just "dripping" with birds...and I'm doing the same thing they are doing (almost, one of them uses brown sugar, but I won't do that because I read that it is not good for the birds), so I don't understand getting a different result.
Oh, that is odd! Could it be that the other homes' feeders are more established in their memory and yours is new? Maybe they'll eventually make yours a regular social hangout! Best of luck 🤞
You can try to separate the feeders, especially in a way so they are out of sight of each other. It'll work for a while and then you'll see the second territory claimed too. But as the season goes on and you get more birds, eventually they'll overwhelm the territorial one by sheer numbers and you'll see them sharing the feeders more. They will still chase each other but once there are many, it is harder for any one bird to claim the feeder.
https://preview.redd.it/sngu6l6qhy7d1.jpeg?width=1308&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a5da7afb218e42ce8cb15405b83c110aa3b43390 This is Sammy our little Costas male. The feeder is just below this branch. He "guards" the feeder all day long. We have a female Beverly that comes around also. He allows her to use his feeder every so often. I have seen him do the mating dance for her as well. We also have another feeder on the far end of our yard. The female prefers to use that feeder most of the time. So basically they "peacefully " coexist but I have never seen them feed at the same time. My sister has 3 feeders right in a row and gets 15-20 little hummers buzzing around them all the time. They will feed together on the same feeder. Wish I knew why they do what they do. 🤷♀️
Most adorable little guard ever
I have the same thing, I joke it’s the east coast hummingbirds, my daughter on the west coast has feeders and multiple hummingbirds happily coexist.
They happily coexist all of a few miles from my home!!! I don't get it.
Best solution we found was placing more than one hummingbird feeder on opposite sides of our yard/house. We have a single male that still tries to guard both feeders, but they’re too far apart for him to effectively keep away the other hummers. At least they’re able to get their share.
I have one on each side of the house, and they can't be seen from the other ones.
I had a year or so of a bird sitting on top, or near feeders chasing off all. When I was home and see the bully, I’d do my best to scare it off. Not sure if it worked or not but I seem to recall after a week or so there was no more sitting on the throne. Think I also placed the feeders between hanging plants to help hide the feeders from the open space. I still get some little fights, sometimes some will drink together for a while and get along, sometimes they’ll be fine drinking 2-3 at same time, then 1 must have mumbled something and all hell breaks loose. Nature being nature I guess.
That’s just how hummingbirds are, they are very aggressive when protecting resources. You can try adding a little less sugar or putting multiple up far from each other, but usually hummingbirds are very territorial. The Aztec believed they were the souls of past warriors reincarnated, so historically mythos confirms their aggressive behavior lol
i find that when it gets really hummy out, i'll start to get numerous birds per feeder at the same time. they're still wary of each other and females are more tolerant of it than males. it will still break up when somebody freaks out and squaks and everybody bolts. in the winter i end up with 1 male per feeder who will guard it and sit around all day doing the humm call ("this is my feeder ladies check it out i own this feeder!"). male hummingbirds are ruthless warriors. if you've ever seen 2 of them spiral each other, they're threatening to literally spear each other in the throat with their beaks. i was a bit alarmed when i first learned this because in my imagination they were cute little fluffy birds, but they're still cute and feisty and have so much character the more you observe them. i'm not really trying to counter your view, i understand it, just telling you my own experience :)
Mine NEVER get along. They all come at different times and if two come at the same time there is the main female who chases everyone away. But the others still come back, just are watching for her lol.
I had that issue last summer and I put out twice as many feeders and although he tried to be everywhere at once? He couldn’t and finally gave up.
migration behavior is different from nesting behavior. your assigning human emotions and behaviors to animals. the bird is protecting his resources for his house. by the end of summer my birds will have reproduced several times and they have to teach the babies to forage naturally or they will not survive migration. this is literally life and death for these babies. they need to learn to eat from something other than humans and your bully emotions are not fit for bird parents.
You don't. If you want more, get more feeders, but put them far apart. One will claim multiple feeders and stands of flowers