Anyone else notice a decrease in Hummers?

10 years ago

We have had an extreme lack of activity since Sunday May 19's storms out here that hit Little Axe & Bethel Acres. First touch-down was at 108th NE and Tecumseh, 2 miles from our home. I'm concerned. Does the storm take them out? Do they move to another more settled area? And where the heck would that be in OK?

I have 7 feeders placed all around the front & back of our house. Just 2 weeks ago we had 3 & 4 fighting to claim each feeder. For the last week and a half...we're lucky to see one at a random feeder. So sad. Just wondering if anyone else has noticed and maybe have an answer as to why?

Paula

Comments (5)

brad6622
10 years ago
Im in choctaw and havent seen one yet on my feeder so it must be something else
brad6622
10 years ago
Im in choctaw and havent seen one yet on my feeder so it must be something else
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Okiedawn OK Zone 7
10 years ago
Paula, I imagine they seek shelter, but also think that the hail storms and tornadoes probably killed a lot of them too.

All the hummers in OK must be here at our house. We have 7 feeders up and plenty of activity. We have both ruby-throated hummingbirds and rufous hummingbirds. They've been back since sometime in April. At first they were at the feeders nonstop, but now that so many flowers are in bloom, they aren't coming to the feeders quite as much.

I'd keep the feeders hanging in their usual spots and filled with fresh nectar. If they had been back and then fled from the storm and survived, then when they do find their way back to you, they will expect the feeders to be in the usual places. I can always tell when returning hummers arrive because they go exactly to the spots where I always hang the feeders, even if they feeders aren't there yet. Apparently they have an excellent memory. If I move a feeder from its usual spot, they buzz me for days and try to tell me to move it back.

They are around all day long and often sit on the electric lines and watch me work in the garden. They are pretty funny. They will sit on the power line right beside mockingbirds, doves and blue jays. Apparently hummingbirds think they are pretty tough.

I've been planting lots of plants for them in the new garden out back behind the barn, reserving about 40% of it for a hummingbird/butterfly garden, and mixing in lots of flowers in the remaining 60% that is, techinically, the vegetable portion of the garden. They found the new feeder out there in that garden the first day I hung it up, which is pretty amazing. It is at least 100' from the next closest feeder, and I put it up there before I had a single flower in bloom.

I hope yours come back. I would miss mine if they disappeared.

Dawn
wulfletons
10 years ago
Paula, we live close to you and close to the damage, but saw a couple in our yard today. We don't have a feeder but have some flowers in with the veggies that they like. And they dive bomb the poor dog several times a day. Honestly, I don't really enjoy them...I will try to send them to you!
Krista
farmgardener
10 years ago
I'm north of OKC and also have fewer hummingbirds for the last couple of weeks - thought it was odd and wondering why - hadn't considered the storms - makes sense now.