Individual hummingbirds have taken control of my feeders
July 11, 2018 9:05 PM Subscribe
Each of my two hummingbird feeders has been claimed by a single, very aggressive male that never leaves and chases every other hummingbird away. I've tried chasing them away, but they just fly back as soon I leave. Moving the feeders did nothing, nor did putting my cats' food dishes directly under the feeder.
Killing them is the quickest and easiest fix for me, and that's probably what I'll end up doing. Still, if I can avoid that I will. Suggestions?
This post was deleted for the following reason: Heya, fine to ask about feeder management strategies but maybe find an approach for this that reads like something other than "convince me not to kill these birds" because that's kinda how this is landing and that's just gonna start a fight needlessly. -- cortex
The males are ALL aggressive like that. They are defending territory. if you can also plant some other hummingbird-loved flowers (fuchsias for example) that will also help things. The thing is to make the resource so good that other hummers will keep trying to get it, and spread out the 'taps' so that one male really can't defend ALL of them at once.
posted by The otter lady at 9:12 PM on July 11, 2018 [4 favorites]
posted by The otter lady at 9:12 PM on July 11, 2018 [4 favorites]
In my experience this is pretty normal for hummingbirds. They are very territorial and will guard "their" feeders. Often they will have a nest in the area and you might see juvenile birds and females that the male doesn't chase away from the feeder.
I find their duels and other antics part of the fun of having a hummingbird feeder, but if it's really bothering you then your best bet is to space your feeders further apart and possibly add one or two more to your yard. Maybe plant some hummingbird friendly flowers. Of course, that's just going to invite more of them to your yard and a male is bound to claim them. If I were you I would just name them Montague and Capulet and enjoy the squabbling.
Also, fwiw, the females are almost aggressive as the males. They just tend to camp out at their nests and not feeders.
posted by forbiddencabinet at 9:14 PM on July 11, 2018
I find their duels and other antics part of the fun of having a hummingbird feeder, but if it's really bothering you then your best bet is to space your feeders further apart and possibly add one or two more to your yard. Maybe plant some hummingbird friendly flowers. Of course, that's just going to invite more of them to your yard and a male is bound to claim them. If I were you I would just name them Montague and Capulet and enjoy the squabbling.
Also, fwiw, the females are almost aggressive as the males. They just tend to camp out at their nests and not feeders.
posted by forbiddencabinet at 9:14 PM on July 11, 2018
I also crank the sugar/water ratio from 1:4 to more like 1:2. We have two 6-hole feeders hanging within about 10' of each other and they get many visitors. They don't ever like to 'share' though except last thing at night on cold days, when they all crowd together to refuel. Depending on the time of year, like now, we have very few hummers at the feeders, because everything is in bloom.
posted by The otter lady at 9:16 PM on July 11, 2018
posted by The otter lady at 9:16 PM on July 11, 2018
Instead of killing the birds that you purposefully attracted you could just take down the feeders.
posted by dilaudid at 9:25 PM on July 11, 2018 [15 favorites]
posted by dilaudid at 9:25 PM on July 11, 2018 [15 favorites]
Yes, this is how every male hummingbird behaves and this will happen to every feeder you put up. If you object to territorial male hummingbirds who drive off others, don't have hummingbird feeders. Killing them won't do anything except break the law in the US and Canada (they are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty), and it is a felony. Fines begin at $2000 (they can run up to $200,000) and there is jail time.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 9:32 PM on July 11, 2018 [5 favorites]
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 9:32 PM on July 11, 2018 [5 favorites]
We have found that, with a feeder with four openings around a central column, at least one additional hummingbird can feed, on the opening opposite from the alpha's opening.
We also set up some tree branches nearby - slender ones, hung from the soffit and/or sticking up out of a flower pot - that we'd get some birds perching there, waiting for a turn. Not sure if this would help or hinder with a super-aggressive male; ours were combative but maybe not that bad.
Also, yes, the 4:1 ratio is dilute to encourage them to keep coming back to the feeder a lot, for entertainment. A more concentrated solution seems to make things less urgent.
Finally, I have worried about them being too dependent on one food source. Planting some good food sources for them would be nice if you can do that.
posted by amtho at 9:33 PM on July 11, 2018
We also set up some tree branches nearby - slender ones, hung from the soffit and/or sticking up out of a flower pot - that we'd get some birds perching there, waiting for a turn. Not sure if this would help or hinder with a super-aggressive male; ours were combative but maybe not that bad.
Also, yes, the 4:1 ratio is dilute to encourage them to keep coming back to the feeder a lot, for entertainment. A more concentrated solution seems to make things less urgent.
Finally, I have worried about them being too dependent on one food source. Planting some good food sources for them would be nice if you can do that.
posted by amtho at 9:33 PM on July 11, 2018
Hummingbirds are so fierce they were the symbol for the Aztec god of war!
posted by foxfirefey at 9:33 PM on July 11, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by foxfirefey at 9:33 PM on July 11, 2018 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by The otter lady at 9:08 PM on July 11, 2018 [3 favorites]