Princess Muse

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Musings about Hummingbirds

I have a hummingbird feeder hanging in my front yard, not far from the porch.  I like to sit and watch the hummingbirds come and feed.  I have about 3 who visit regularly:  a male and two females.  I also have wasps and bees who like my feeder.  I may have to get a different type of feeder next year to see if I can cut down on the bees and wasps (it's not the bees who bug me too much, but wasps are just too unpredictable).  Last year, I had a problem with ants climbing the shepherds hook and getting into the sugar water, but this year I got a cup that hooks onto the feeder and keeps them out.

If there are no bees or wasps at the feeder, the hummingbirds like to visit each of the ports on the feeder.  I'm guessing (but I don't know for certain) that it's because the hummingbird can't figure out that they're all connected to the same source of sugar water, and it's making sure it doesn't eat all the "nectar" at once.

I see the females more than the male.  The females chase each other away from the feeder, but they ignore the male for the most part.  Sometimes, the females chirp at each other, talking' smack about whose feeder that is.  They soar and dip as they fly around.  If you didn't realize that hummingbirds are pretty anti-social and territorial, you'd think they were playing with each other.  Sometimes, one will sit on the bush in front of my porch, lying in wait for the other to show up.  Then, in she swoops, chirping as she drives the other off.  They'll fly off for a few minutes, then one of them show back up and the show begins again.  Sometimes, the hummingbird will chad a bee away if it's flying around the feeder, but I notice that they avoid the wasps.  Like I said, wasps are too unpredictable...and they be crazy to boot....

Time to go as the hummingbirds are pretty aMusing....


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