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durtgrrl

Aggressive/territorial Hummingbird? silly newbie question...

DurtGrrl
18 years ago

Hi--

I just started feeding hummingbirds this last year. I've been watching them visit my plants, and my Dad always had feeders up. Recently (last month or so) a female Ruby Throated hummingbird has staked out the feeders (2, on the porch). The feeders are separated by about 15 feet and she just camps out in the crepe myrtle tree near the porch and waits. As soon as she sees another hummer she zooms in and starts chewing him/her out in bird language and chases him/her off! I swear I've seen her peck at the other birds. It's funny and cool to watch, but I worry that the other birds won't get any of the sugar water and worry that she'll chase off any other species that might grace me with their presence :) I do enjoy her antics, though, and today I saw her chase off a mockingbird that got too close to "her" crepe myrtle.

Am I being silly? I know that hummers (esp. the Rufous) have a reputation for being aggressive. Is there anything I can do?

Thanks!

Comments (50)

  • CHARANN102
    18 years ago

    Welcome DurtGrrl! We all have similar stories of aggressive and territorial hummies. They are little piggies and like to keep the feeder or special plants for themselves. Sharing sometimes doesn't even seem to be a part of their vocabulary.

    I have 3 juveniles feeding at my feeders right now and yesterday the male perched on the feeder and just sat there. He wasn't eating...just guarding the feeder. The minute one of the females would come near it, he would chase her away. This went on for about 15 minutes. It wouldn't have been quite so bad if he had been drinking nectar but he was just protecting the food source from them.

    There isn't anything I know to do. Finally the two females ganged up on him and chased him away. There was quite a frenzy of "tag" going on in the yard. Finally each found a source of food that suited them and things quited down for awhile until Junior decided to dominate again. He is just now getting the red at his throat.

    I don't think you have to worry about the others going hungry; there are many of us feeding them and lots and lots of flowers - wild and otherwise - for them to use.

    Charlotte

  • standard65
    18 years ago

    hi, and greetings from nashville.
    there is something you can do. put a feeder on each side of the house, or separated in some way that they cannot be seen or guarded simultaneously.
    sometimes, I see #3 get a good drink when #2 tries to get to the feeder and #1 chases him off.
    keep us posted.

  • DurtGrrl
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Thanks Charlotte and Standard! (I'm in Nashville too!). I appreciate the reassurance that this is normal and that they'll be fine. I have planted hummingbird friendly flowers, and have seen them drinking from those--but that silly hummer who guards the feeders guards the flowers--it's all within her sightline from the crepe myrtle tree! Standard, I think I will put some feeders in the back yard--maybe where we can watch them out the back windows.
    Thank you! :)

  • glok
    18 years ago

    DurtGrrl,
    Once you put up more feeders, you've pretty much done all you can except, sit back and enjoy the air show! It's really fun and quite relaxing to see hummers be hummers! They really are quite fearless when it comes to their territory. We love watching them take on each other as well as much bigger birds!

    Enjoy! and welcome to the board!

    glo

  • DurtGrrl
    Original Author
    18 years ago

    Glo--thank you for the welcome and the further reassurance. I was a little concerned that there might be something in my sugar that I'm using for the nectar--she chased 2 mockingbirds out of the crepe myrtle tree last night. I was literally agape--it was shocking and hilarious.
    This is such a neat forum--great info!
    Cheers,
    DurtGrrl

  • oubliette
    18 years ago

    Welcome to the forum, DurtGrrl! So glad you love to watch their antics. Sounds like you are providing a great habitat for them. The action should really pick up in the next few weeks as migration gets underway.

  • penny1947
    18 years ago

    Mine have chased off bees, butterflies, chicadees and goldfinches. THey really stand their ground when they think that their turf is being invaded.

    Disclaimer:I do not agree with nor endorse the use of "Sponsored Links" possibly embedded in my posts by the owner of this or any other website and would never purchase anything from any advertiser that used this deceptive type of advertising.

    Penny

  • mvineyid129
    15 years ago

    I have had hummingbird feeders on my porch for years and have always loved watching the antics of aggressive alpha male hummies. However this often limits the quantity and variety of birds feeding. This year I hung a huge hanging basket of orange, red and yellow mini petunias next to feeder and this for now seems to have solved the aggression problem. When my alpha chases away other birds, they just go straight to the flowers for I assume second best, but never the less the alpha can tolerate their presence without his macho display.
    I do realize that this may be short lived as the alpha will probably figure out my ploy and protect both domains feeder and basket, but for now it is great fun seeing multiple birds feeding.

  • myrtle_59
    15 years ago

    When you are that little you have to be quick and mean or you don't survive.

    I had a Chihuahua like that.

  • mvineyid129
    15 years ago

    Yup, for sure, i have a 9 pound toy poodle with same disposition and activity level as the hummingbirds !!
    My new question is those of you who have had experience with sick hummies at the feeder. They stay perched for hours, feathers are puffy and breathing/seems labored.
    Once a year this happens and I was wondering if they can be helped in any way. It is very sad to watch, especially when the other hummies terrorize them

  • bern_beatty_mba_wfu_edu
    15 years ago

    In a recent Birds and Blooms magazine was a photo of a folding clothesline on which were hung perhaps fifteen feeders and many visible birds perched on various of the lines. The submitter of the photo estimated perhaps a hundred hummingbirds at one time. If they are territorial, what accounts for this phenomenon?

  • mbuckmaster
    15 years ago

    Males are territorial. If you look closely at the picture, you'll see that the hummers are mostly females. The few males have given up trying to defend these feeders--there's strength in numbers, ladies! =)

    By the way, I love that magazine.

  • hummersteve
    15 years ago

    Hi durt grrl--- Its pretty much their nature especially when their numbers are small, only in areas where there lots of hummers do you see them share at all. But like Im sure has been mentioned in this thread you can separate the feeders one in front , one in back , possibly a window feeder and another feeder way out in the yard. Anyway have fun with it , they are some amazing creatures that I never tire of, since most of us in the east half of the country only have them for a short time of the year.

  • jawa13
    13 years ago

    Have you ever seen two hummingbird (presumabaly0 a male and female, sharing the same perch on a feeder and takign turn to drink from the same port?

    I thought this is very unusual.

  • andistar53
    13 years ago

    I just put up a feeder a few days ago and it seems as though two small hummingbirds have taken to guarding it. They are so brave that as I went to fix the twine hanging it up, one darted straight towards me and sat down on the feeder as I had my hand on it. It's quite amazing to watch them though, because you can sit right close to them and they will still feed.

  • rob_a
    13 years ago

    As I am typing this, I have two females, one perched on a feeder but not feeding, another perched four feet away on a feeder mount. It's been a good five to seven minutes and they are still there. Not bothering each other.
    I usually have a huge battle going on. Up to three fighting at a time. I think they are tired! LOL

  • rob_a
    13 years ago

    Dirtgirl, the saddest thing I have seen at my feeders was last year when a juvi that could barely fly came to my balcony feeders. She flew with her body straight up and down and slow instead of horizontal and fast like grown hummers.
    She pecked around looking for the feeder port, but didn't find it before the dominant hummer chased her back to her tree. She came back later and again was chased away.
    By then I was getting p___ed. So I sat in a lawn chair and waved away all the other hummers waiting for her to come back, but I never saw her again.
    It's just natures way, but I hope she made it ok.

  • homerpa
    13 years ago

    Many times what you think is a female is really an young male (only way to tell w/ out catching one is get a real close look or--in my case--zoom in on a pic and see a red feather on the neck). This particular youngster has chased away the adult male that once owned the yard, chases other birds, and has even tried to intimidate me on a few occasions. Once he even tried a sneak attack by buzzing to my left ear from behind then hoovering inches away-- i just turned and looked right at him. Also, messing w/ the feeder while he's watching from his tree brings us face to face. Very Cool!

  • homerpa
    13 years ago

    Here's the King; u can see the single, red gorget feather clearly:

  • jay733
    13 years ago

    Yeah, the key thing is having multiple feeders up if you want to attract more than maybe 2 hummers.

    I have them separated so that it's hard for one that is feeding to see the others. I bought the mini zingers because I don't get a swarm at one feeder. Even last season when I had a 4 port feeder, one ruled it, so I just have mini zingers and spread them around.

  • glad2garden
    13 years ago

    Jay733, that's a good idea about the mini zingers. I think I'll try that trick in the spring!

  • nanaboo
    13 years ago

    I also have 3 mini zingers at windows. No perch,but female hummer perches on top!
    Fun to watch.

  • starsrhappi_att_net
    13 years ago

    I am sure happy to learn that this is "normal" behavior. I have two 10 station feeders placed about 6 ft apart on my back porch. One of the feeders needs filling everyday while the other just sits with little action. I was able to watch closely this morning as one fat little red necked hummer monopolized the one feeder and chased the others away. I even tried switching the feeders to see what would happen but it made no difference. Our temperatures
    have been hovering in the 35-45 area for daytime and in the low 20's at night. I worry that they all have enough to eat as there are NO flowering plants now. But what entertainment they provide!

  • Colleen E
    13 years ago

    Our Rufous are the known jerks here (in the Pacific Northwest), but in recent years, the Anna's, which we've had year-round for three or four years, have gotten pretty out of hand too. You're lucky if you've got just one bully, because I have a pair of Anna's hummmers that together try to control the neighborhood. You'll see them eat together and sit together in the trees, and then they'll seemingly split up, with one dominating the feeders on one side of the house and the other in the other yard, chasing off any intruders. We originally had five feeders in the back yard, but because of the fighting, we added four to the other side of the house... it worked till now! Ahaha. It's common. Though I don't know how common it is to have a married couple as mean as the two little creeps we have at the moment. They chase off any and all other hummingbirds, and they harass regular birds that are minding their own business and are nowhere near the hummer feeders. Squirrels are even victims of the bullying. I look forward to when the Roufous will arrive around March; they should put the jerks in their place. :) Like happistar 9, I only worry right now because it's winter and we don't have aaaany flowers in bloom.

  • ellen218
    13 years ago

    Ours are all gone for the winter now, but we got a kick out of watching "the mayor" as we named him, who'd sit on the top of the feeder and chase the heck out of anyone who approached.

  • Poncy1
    11 years ago

    I've read all the posts about an aggressive/territorial Hummingbirds. Mine is a grown male ruby red throat. Since he's hurting the other hummers, I my decided to temporary take my feeder down. I live in an apartment so I don't have room for a lot of feeders. I had two up for a while but the birds didn't like the new one so I took it down after a month. So far the aggressive male is still up in the tree lying in wait. I miss all the hummingbirds I had in early spring. I had on after another and was making sugar water weekly. With Buzz (I named him) being selfish the food would get old and I was changing it weekly. At this point I'm I'm going to leave the feeder down and wait it out. I'm curious to see what happens.(If buzz leaves) I miss my hummers, but I was only watching Buzz, the ruby red throat attack and hurt all the other hungry birds. Any opinions on this tactic? Thanks

  • mrsbird
    10 years ago

    Poncy1:
    Why would you take down the feeder, when this hummer is just doing what a hummer does? Hummers don't try to actually hurt one another, they just are trying to scare off any competitors for their food source. If you take down the feeder you are not only depriving him a treat, but yourself as well of enjoying seeing them. I have had feeders for several years now and yes they chase each other, but I have never had a fatality or a wounded one. Also hummingbirds remember their food sources year to year..so even though you took it down..chances are he will be back. 1 is better than none.

  • mrsbird
    10 years ago

    Poncy1:
    Why would you take down the feeder, when this hummer is just doing what a hummer does? Hummers don't try to actually hurt one another, they just are trying to scare off any competitors for their food source. If you take down the feeder you are not only depriving him a treat, but yourself as well of enjoying seeing them. I have had feeders for several years now and yes they chase each other, but I have never had a fatality or a wounded one. Also hummingbirds remember their food sources year to year..so even though you took it down..chances are he will be back. 1 is better than none.

  • mehitabel
    10 years ago

    I agree with MrsBird-- leave the feeder up. What you are seeing is nature's way for hummers (and many other birds, too). If you didn't have that male dominating, you'd still have one that tried to chase the others away.

    Taking it down isn't helping the other hummers find food, it is just depiriving the one you are thinking of as mean and hurtful, but is actually just being a normal hummingbird.

    All the birds you had in spring might have been migrating. They'll likely be back on their way south in the fall and you're depriving them as well.

  • jenniferwilde
    8 years ago

    I have 2 4-station feeders. everything has been great for years here with sometimes 12-15 hummers feeding at once, but this year "Killer Red" has moved in. He's a small, very territorial bird who will not tolorate any other birds at all! He will sit on a tree about 10 feet from the feeders, and if any other birds come he's right at them! It's frustrating for me to watch as none of my other birds get to feed and now it seems they're not even around. Any other ideas about what to do besides spacing the feeds father apart?

  • mehitabel zone 6
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I can hang up to 5 feeders on my deck at one time, in a space app 5-6' circumference, and one foot to up to a few feet apart. . What I've found is they can only guard two feeders at once successfully, and even that keeps them very busy. Try one more feeder!

    In July and August, with all 5 in use, I usually have two guards each trying to hang on to 2 feeders. They don't bother each other at all, just accept the "ownership", and plenty of other birds are tormenting the two guards and slipping in and out of the chaos and eating from the 5th. Fun to watch, too. Lots of whizzing in and out.

    If you do try a third feeder, please let us know what happens.

  • Doug Alley
    8 years ago

    I have eight feeders set across my entire yard. They are all multi port feeders. In addition I have MANY hummingbird friendly plants, trees and shrubs. There is about 100 feet between the first feeder and the last, but 1 male ruby throated dominates them all. He seems to like my feeders more than girls too. I don't know how long they live, but he has been sitting on the same spot on the telephone wires since 2009. My yard is down hill from the road, so he can easily see my entire yard. I live in the country, and I envy the folks who have multiple hummers sharing a single feeder!


  • Rose G
    8 years ago
    last modified: 8 years ago

    I had many hummingbirds in the spring; not more than 3 minutes went by without at least one feeding. Then came the "bully" as we call him. It's amazing how smart these little things can be. I've tried several feeders, spaced throughout the yard. He just relocated his perch so he could defend all of them; including a favorite plant (my yard isn't very large). Now I just have two in the back yard & one in the front; basically because it's a waste of food otherwise. Their antics never disappoint; however. There are two that "work together." One distracts the "bully," while the other feeds!

  • Kathleen Nelson
    8 years ago

    I live in Washington. I keep about 20 of the single fears hanging around on my back porch. I have two bullies. They sit about 5 feet away from each other. They make it hard on the other birds... But the other ones are persistent and they end up eating. At regular feeding times I have about 18 to 20 at once. They are Annas, and are here year round. The freezing weather is difficult, because all the feeders have to come in at night. Except the ones that I have on suction cups on the window.

  • nanaboo
    8 years ago

    wow, lucky you ! I can only imagine how thrilling it must be to have so many hummingbirds to watch. I live in Baton Rouge, LA. I leave one feeder up year round, fresh and waiting. I have not seen a hummer since Oct. 19, 2015. I am on the lookout!

  • Antonette Trejo
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    On my way to buy another feeder. Lol!! I call my territorial hummingbird after my oldest son, Joshua. He sits guarding "HIS" yard till nightfall. I introduced my son to this particular hummie he was thrilled to see him in action. My son compared these territorial battles as to the Star Wars movie battles, lol. Joshua(aka the hummingbird) isn't intimidated by my son trying to shush him away with his arms. I tried to talk to him & he just goes off on me chirping away in his hummie language. I guess for now I only I get to watch this one.

  • momiswami
    6 years ago

    I live on a San Juan island in Washington State. My feeder has a dozen holes and is full until dark. It is a one quart feeder and I fill it twice a day. I have the Anna and Rufus hummingbird : there is a constant flurry of up and down and sideways parking maneuvers going on at all times, and it appears to me that sooner or later each bird gets a turn to feed . Several times a day the feeder will have a dozen hummingbirds feeding together in peace...then they are up and down and sideways again.

  • Diana Steele-Hope
    6 years ago

    Hi all fellow buzz bird enthusiasts. My name is Diana and I'm an avid buzz bird watcher with 2 feeders that last year had 4-5 that visited regularly. This year last week I had 12-15 feeding off of both for a few days till oops I got busy and forgot to refill them .normally this is done 2x a day but only 1 x that day. The next day one of the male rufous decided he didn't like them empty and staked claim on them both. Now any other bird comes into the yard he chases them off. I decided well heck I'll move the feeders tonight and really mess with him....you know the little snot swooped at me....lol I told him he better not mess with the hand that feeds him...lol I'm planning on buying a feeder or 2 and spread them out more. I miss watching the others feed.

  • Sandra Classey
    6 years ago

    I live in Georgia and had two feeders up since April. Lot of activity till recently?? Now it's June and have not had much activity?? I take my feeders down about 9:30 pm and put back up about 8 am because the raccoons empty them st night. Is this a problem??

  • KRAN Lopez
    6 years ago

    Sandra, that is a great idea. I have ants getting into mine. I go to work at 9:30pm and get home at 6:30am. I will try that.

  • Rachel Long
    6 years ago

    Hi..I live in Ferndale Wa and have several Ana's that have stayed with me year long for the past couple of years. Just today we had our first snow flakes and I watched up to four Anna's feeding on the same feeder...I have not seen that before! They have been very territorial. I have 9 feeders around the front and side and back of our home. I am getting ready to put out our brooder lights for the feeders. I bring them in at night and bring back out in morning before sunrise..those birds are hungry at first light.. brooder lights keep nectar defrosted all day..can't say enough about keeping your feeders full and clean and defrosted all season.. frozen nectar is a problem! Without my brooder lights last year in a harsh winter I had to change out nectar several times in one day! Enjoy our little Hummers!

  • gyr_falcon
    6 years ago

    I'm fortunate that in my location in Southern CA, defrosting is not one of the necessary tasks! Do you keep all nine feeders up during the winter also, or just a few with the lights? Sharing is more common when it becomes more important to refuel than chase. I see it most often in the evening, when the birds are tanking up for the night. Occasionally I'll also see sharing when the guard bird is away, and several others are taking advantage of the opportunity. There are too many feeding sources in my area to ever get the number of birds necessary to have the sharing swarms that some locations can get.

  • wamccorm777
    6 years ago

    I have seen that Hummers usually have preferred locations for a feeder. It may not be attracting any traffic till I move it a few feet, then it gets covered up with birds. I never have been able to figure out what makes them choose a certain location while avoiding a nearby one that looks identical to me. If your birds are avoiding a feeder, reclean and refill it. Make sure it has been rinsed well after cleaning. If that does not take care of the problem, it needs to be moved.

    As for boss birds, I have seen them tie up in serious fights. They are not just bluffing at each other.

    In East Texas and now in Southeast Texas, late February-April and August- October are their migration times. During those months, there may be swarms all over the place, and then the next day be barely one or two. Those are times when the crowd has gathered and then moved on. In early November I take my feeders down so none will be hanging around when the flowers are gone. The migration should start just about any day now here, so I need to get a feeder up so I can monitor the progress of the migration.

  • alaleh89
    5 years ago

    Hello Hummingbird Lovers, I too have had a bully hummer (Rufous? He’s got a bright ruby throat). This guy terrorizes my other birds not just by attacking them but also by loudly chirping as the birds get near any of my 2 feeders. My other birds have shared the feeders in the past especially just before sunset for their last feeding. While they obviously don’t like to feed near each other, they seem to unpleasantly coexist. Not the bully. He is not letting any of the other birds near the feeders to a point where I don’t see my regular hummers come around at all. I’m in an Apt so I don’t have too much of a choice than spreading my two feeders as far apart as possible on the balcony. Today I decided I was going to bully the bully (am I going nuts?!). I know my other birds will feed near me so I stood in between the 2 feeders right in front of the bully and every time the bully tried to zoom in to terrorize my other birds, I’d get in front of him. He finally gave up and left the hood, probably temporarily. Immediately some of my regulars came back, still a bit scared. I feel bad doing this but I miss seeing my sweet hummers who either feed together or at least wait for each other to finish feeding before taking a turn (no joke. They do it!). Even the alpha Anna’s aren’t as mean and aggressive as the ruby throated Rufous. Im going to try placing a number single feeders around the balcony and see if that helps. I do have other flowers around me but my hummers love my nectar recipe of water mixed with organic cane sugar from Trader Joe’s. I clean and refill the feeders very 3 days whether they’re empty or not so they’re nice and fresh. I happily spoil the heck out of my sweet beloved hummers!

  • gyr_falcon
    5 years ago

    That was an interesting strategy to allow your favorite hummers a chance to eat. Glad it worked!

    Hummers do bully each other; sometimes in play, sometimes quite seriously. What I have found to be interesting, after finally figuring out the formula to get them to share the feeders throughout the day, is that now that most are in cooperative mode, when one arrives to feed, another one or two will move from nearby observation perches to join in the meal.

  • PNW-Transplant
    5 years ago

    gyr_falcon - So the trick is to have enough perches close by?

  • gyr_falcon
    5 years ago

    Although they like to have view perches, cooperation was achieved in my garden through saturation of feeders, choosing a feeder style the birds preferred, how I placed and strategically moved the feeders around to thwart the dominate birds. My garden is rather small, but heavily landscaped (with many nectar-supplying plants also). Many of the feeders were placed only 10-15' apart, and I made certain the nectar was always fresh.

    There are also a lot of resident hummingbirds where I live (Southern CA), so the original core group was roughly 15-20 hummers. Cooperation began when it became useless for the dominant bird(s) to chase, because other birds would just move in and feed, or choose another feeder that was nearby.

  • alaleh89
    5 years ago

    Thank you for the tip, Gyr_Falcon. I just ordered a bunch of single feeders which I will place around the balcony. I hope it works as the bully perches on a tall and bushy tree directly across from my balcony, claiming the whole area. He knows I don’t like him and Im sure the feeling is mutual. I miss my sweet little hummers coming around and feeding from my hands. I’m surrounded by flowers and trees and would hate for the birds to be like “ Bag this. We’re going somewhere else to eat” Fingers crossed...

  • PNW-Transplant
    5 years ago

    Sorry if I missed this in an earlier response, but I think some of this might be courtship behavior. There was a cool hummingbird documentary on PBS about a month ago that went into that, and I think I just saw it at my feeder. A female hummingbird was drinking and a male came up, didn't land but started flaring up his feathers and sort of darting around. She stopped drinking, but apparently was not impressed since the male left and she started drinking again for at least a minute.

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