For a coupelof years I have only had the one hummer come around and this year a second one came not too far back. I would watch them fight over flowers and the one feeder.
Last week I was finally able to get another feeder. Really like these ones as the hummer can sit and drink and I can watch them for a second or two longer.
Well, I put the other feeder about 30 feet away and still watche d the two fight over it, but now ..........
yesterday a third one showed up from who knows where and now I have thre e hummers and everybody seems to want to fight over the one feeder. I amworking about 6 feey from the feeder and am not getting much work doen for listenign to them chatter and fuss and watch as they dive bomb each coming so close it actually sound s like they are hitting each other.
I almost watched one hit the tree and barely espcaped being flung against it from a fight.
Now what do I do?????? Do I go get another coupel feeders? Will that keep eevrybody happy? I am ready to go out to my craft shed, get me some tiny rockign chairs that I made, paint them red and hang them in the ends of the tre e branche s for tiny hummer time out chairs til they learn to share and play good. : )
It like a war zone and even I getting dived at and I have my own cup of coffee and would share it if they would play good for awhile.
This third one looks a bit smaller than the other two. Not sure if it somebody who foudn my yatd or if it a baby. Have no idea how big the babies get to be for when they come to the feeder.
I can't get to store right now, dang used car I bought is broke, is there something I can rig temporaily as a feeder for the new kid on the block?
Tiny wooden red chairs
I don't know if multiple feeders is going to help. I have always had a couple of feeders and had several different hummers try to get in on the action but the first one of the year always chases them away. No matter how many feeders I have. It made me a little mad at first that he would not share. I mean the minute the other guy shows up here comes Mr. Bossy and chases them away. I like the idea of the red time out chairs though. Might make them think a little about sharing, huh?
Leslie
Put your feeders out of each line of sight. Stand at one feeder and put the other one in an area that you can't see from there..(even if it's behind a bush)
It's not going to cure it...they're little bullies when it comes to nectar sources.
Also, hummingbirds are fully grown when they leave the nest...no fledglings. One of the few birds in the world who wait until they are full-sized before fledging.
putting one feeder on the other side of my house really seems to help with the fighting. I have several in my backyard and one hanging at my front porch. Keeping them far apart seems to help. One particular male sits in the pine tree and he can see all the feeders in the backyard but he can't see the one in the at the front porch.
I didn't know they waited until they were full grown until they left the nest. That probably why I've never seen a tiny baby hummer. I've always looked for them though. Glad to know this!
Yep, it was one of those 'fun facts' I learned at the lecture a couple weeks ago.
Melody,
where can we access your article about the conference you went to? I am interested in finding out what you learned!
Lisa