Hummer rehab at my house

So last night I had a hummingbird smack into a window. It either wouldn't or couldn't fly away after a bit - sometimes, if you just leave 'em alone, they're just stunned and have to come to and they can fly off. If people see birds when they get knocked on the noggin', what do birds see???? Hmmmmmmmmm. Curious.
Anyway, I had to feed it sugar water from an eye dropper every 15 minutes until the hummers in the air around my house called it a night and I even (not for the squeemish) crushed up mealworms I keep for the bluebirds and fed 'em to it. I kept the little thing in a shoe box on a towell all night. This AM, it still wasn't trying to fly. So I let it be and got ready for work. I'm happy to report at 10:30 this AM, the little bugger drank some more sugar water from the eye dropper, sat in my hand for about 30 seconds longer and finally flew away into the woods next to my house.
Here's a pic of it sitting in my hand between feedings.

This message was edited Sep 10, 2008 12:07 PM

Aww how sweet! Great job Judy; he's lucky you were there!

Great story. I love hummingbirds and wish I got more around my neck of the woods.

Thats a chance of a lifetime getting him to sit in your hand....
How awesome is that! Great job Dr. Hummer.....LOL ;o)

Good Job, heyitsmejudy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GM :)

Great story with a happy ending -- good job, Judy!

I haven't had any smack into the window, but one time two males were having an aerial combat on the back deck, and one of them zoomed right into the screen door. He stuck, quivering and buzzing his wings, like a cartoon hummer with his beak in a dart board. I freaked out and ran for a towel before heading for the door, figuring I'd have to cover his head to calm him down in order to free him... by the time I reached the door, he had vibrated loose and darted off again. *whew!*

Thanks everyone! I would have fed the little guy every 15 minutes for as long as he'd let me... I wasn't going to give up on him! I was afraid to open the shoe box the next AM, not knowing whether I'd need to feed him or bury him, but he was just looking around like "isn't it time to eat?"
What a joyous feeling watching him fly away and perch on a tree!

I'll bet; you must have been so relieved and happy to see him fly off!

Has he been hanging around since then?

Pelle, there are so many hummingbirds at my house, I'd have no idea! I've never seen it like it's been these last few weeks. I always have a lot of hummers, but they have been swarming.. darting all over the place chasing each other. It's like they know they need to hang around and wait out Ike or something!
My boyfriend said he wouldn't doubt if the hummer showed up at my house saying "where's that box with the rag in it? That was the best nights' sleep I've had in a while... and you DELIVER food, I don't have to go out looking for it!!!:

Judy, what a great tale with a happy ending. Well done. Your last post describing what your boyfriend had said really did have me LOL.

Truly amazing Judy, glad you were able to nurse it back to life. great job.

That is so awesome...glad you had a happy ending!

This is the first time I've put up a feeder. I live near the downtown area of okc and I really didn't think there was any hummers around until I seen one buzzing my roses. Since I put one up on my front porch we have gotten so much pleasure out of watching the little guys. My husband is disabled and the Hummingbirds have intertained him greatly...But today they were acting so different.....They were doing the same thing that "Heyitsmejudy" said hers were doing the other day. There seemed to be dozens of them and they were chasing each other and generally having a hey day between sips at the feeder. I couldn't find any thing that said they were territorial but there sure was a lot of chasing going on......I admire all of you that have taken such beautiful pictures..

How sweet! Judy I have noticed a lot of hummers this late in the year in our area. One of my cats likes to sleep on top of the deck and they fly all around him. Hubby calls him worthless ;) If he does see one, he cats like he is drunk. lol
Beautiful picture!