Found a dead hummingbird hanging from feeder.

7 years ago

last modified: 7 years ago

Yesterday afternoon my mom went to watch her hummingbirds. And noticed that there was one hanging from the feeder upside down. She went up to it and noticed that it was dead. It was still clutching the hummingbird feeder it was upside down. My mom didn't know what to do so she took him off the perch. His little feet we're still curved as if they were still clutching the perch. His body wasn't rigid. His feet were just clutching the perch. My mom just cleaned out the bird feeders about 3 days ago. This is very disturbing Finding the little bird like that. Makes you think you might had done something to cause this.

I decided to get online and find out if anybody else has had any problems with their hummers. In my search I found this forum. I'm going to post a picture of the little guy.

Does anybody know anything about hummingbird illnesses or what could have caused this. He didn't run into a wall as far as I can see. He was just hanging there clinging to his bird feeder.

you can see his little feet look like he's still holding on to the perch. Do you think it could have had a heart attack and just hung there? Poor baby.

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Comments (10)

catherinet
7 years ago
Hmmmm....he may not have been dead. What did you do with him? Google "Hummingbird Torpor".
lazy_gardens
7 years ago
When birds perch there is an automatic "clutch" so they don't spend energy holding on - they have to actively let go,

They do die - over the years I have found several lying dead in the lawn or other places.
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HU-389261631
2 years ago
Hummingbirds go into a state of torpor and lock their feet and hang upside down to sleep. They do it on a feeder so they can eat immediately when they awake. It wasn't dead
catherinet (5IN)
2 years ago
Well, I'm not sure it wasn't dead. Wouldn't it have been aroused by just removing it from the feeder?
HU-185606758
last year
I just found the same thing. i brought him indoors. still seems dead 30 minutes later.
Matt Schumacher
last year
We have found them dead when we get a spring snowstorm and the temperature gets below freezing. We just got 12" here in Colorado and my neighbor and I each had one still on the feeder shaking after dark. We each put them in small boxes with a rag and kept them in the house for the night. In the morning they both flew away looking happy! It was such a good feeling! I also keep some feeders inside so the nectar is warm when they wake up. They flock to those!
Cami S
9 months ago
It was probably in torpor. If it didn't wake up after an hour from being warmed up, then it probably died in the midst of a torpor because the temperature dropped too low for too long and she didn't make it. However, it takes usually just over an hour for them to come out of torpor, which makes them vulnerable during this time, so please don't bury them until you're sure they're truly "gone". Torpor is a mild form of hibernation hummingbirds undergo when the temperatures drop. Usually, they wake up after the air warms up again, and the first thing they have to do is eat quickly.
Lynn Nevins
8 months ago
Just happened upon this post. Fascinating. I'd never heard of this concept of 'torpor' for hummingbirds (and possibly other birds, as well?). Good to know for future reference.
Andie Springer
5 months ago
We just had this happen. We noticed before it had been there very long though. Since he was still breathing, we were going to set him on a branch in the apple tree. He flow off in route to the tree
HU-988473307
18 days ago
I .

Found a dead hummingbird hanging from feeder.

Comments (10)

catherinet

lazy_gardens

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