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Another Reason to Leave the Hummer Feeders Up!

13 years ago

I had a couple of Warblers hanging around last year and observed them landing on the Hummer feeders and taking a quick sip. This year there are several spending the winter here and they've claimed the suet feeders and now the Hummer feeders!

Good thing we have several feeders around the yard, although it keeps us busy when the temps drop below freezing!

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

{{!gwi}}

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Comments (4)

lizbeth_pa
13 years ago
I have seen pics of folks' warblers at the hb feeders! Also finches and wood peckers like to drink out of the hb feeder. Of course, here it's frozen half the time! I have noticed all the water is gone from my hb feeder. I leave mine up all winter, too, but mostly to let the hummers know that they are welcome here when they start migrating back to this area. I live in scPA. Where do you live?
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bandjzmom
13 years ago
Cool pics there! I am in zone 7a (Georgia), and I always leave one Hummer feeder up in the winter. I have never seen anything to come it though. My RTHB's don't return until about April 1st here. I have had House Finches and some butterflies to feed at my Hummer feeders in summer.
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Last Sept was the first time we had ever seen "swarms" of hummingbirds on our feeders. We have 7 feeders and the 3 that hang in front of our sunroom windows would be completely full--a hummer at EACH opening -- with others hovering above waiting their turn!! It was a sight to behold! At the same time, some would be zooming across the yard to the other feeders that would have 1 or 2 on each of them. All feeders are in our small backyard. The 3 feeders at the windows are about 20 ft apart. We estimated 30 hummers but it was only an estimate. They would zoom over the roof, then back into the yard, then into the trees. We would sit in our lawn furniture facing the windows and just watch the show. My sister would make it a point to come by as soon as she got off work so we could watch together. Needless to say, we are just counting the days until Sept to see if it happens again! I have had 3 hummingbirds for awhile this summer. Can't wait to see what Sept will bring.
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Comments (7)
Thanks for your comment, mbrowne. I'm sure the additional feeders are affecting their behavior as well. Last year, the two feeders were guarded fiercely from a nearby wire. With 5, I'm finding one bird only guards one or two, and allows feeding at the others. I don't know if you remember my comments about timidity earlier this year--you were surprised. Well, this new mob isn't as timid, either. They'll feed if I stand motionless a few feet away, and tolerate some movement inside the house. Also I've noticed they may turn their back on me (I guess to shut out the intrusive sight of me :) Fly off only at movement, but even then come right back. All the extra acitivity is definitely worth the little bit of extra work.
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Thanks for the info Penny. I started using the homemade nectar a few years ago and have had plenty of success with it. Now if I could only stay on top of keeping the feeders filled/maintained.
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Comments (10)
I think that in general feeders provide supplemental food for birds, and probably help them through lean times. However, it is more important that they have habitat and natural sources of food such as insects, otherwise they won't be able to raise their young. The vast majority of terrestrial birds feed their babies insects. I don't normally put up a hummingbird feeder, but did so for a month or two during the summer of 2010. That was because it was so dry that the natural sources of nectar were basically dried up. I did try to water the hummingbird plants, but also supplemented with a feeder. Otherwise, I grow various hummingbird plants in the "Hummingbird Garden" and also scattered amongst the other gardens. There are 2 or 3 hummers that use the gardens, but it could be more. The most I've seen at one time was 3. Here's some of my Lobelia cardinalis - they love it -
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terrene
13 years ago
Great pics Annz! Those clever warblers have figured out the easy life! :)
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ginni77
13 years ago
What great pix!! I've never seen a hummer share it's feeder with anything, even other hummers...LOL! Altho I got some great pix of a mama hummer feeding her baby at the feeder one year.

I don't/can't leave ours up...they would freeze solid (upper Illinois state on the Miss. River here )...I buy the cheapo plastic ones so I can get new ones each spring or even throughout the hummer season if necessary.
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