Has anyone ever experence the ruby-throated use the hummingbird houses


evoor@verizon.net

Sorry Eldon dont have a clue...but I guess anything would be a help. But I wouldn't go spending my $$ on them...I need the $$ for dirt and plants. Hey but ya never know

Chris
Burlington County
NJ

Eldon

To my knowledge the hummers do not use them...like Chris said save your money.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

I haven't seen the "houses" in question, but no North American hummingbird species, including the Ruby-throated, uses a cavity for nesting, so a "house" in the typical sense (roof, walls, hole for entry) for a hummingbird is an absolute waste of money.

There are some species (the Anna's, in particular) which have adapted well to human habitation and will often nest close to human houses - building nests under eaves, in a tangle of vines crawling up a house, etc. The Ruby-throated Hummingbird, however, seldom builds a nest close to a human house unless that house happens to be built in ideal nesting habitat - in the woods, or right up against the woods, and often near water like a creek, stream or pond. Even in such a case, insofar as I know, Ruby-throateds prefer to build their nests, which they carefully disguise with lichens and such, on a branch, so as to camouflage them from predators.

I'm in agreement with some of the other ideas posted here: you're better off spending the money on a really good hummingbird plant or two, and accepting that the birds may just not nest near you (and thus will be scarce during actual nesting). But good plants and well-maintained feeders, available to the birds as they begin to disperse through the area prior to migration, should attract good numbers of hummingbirds through the rest of the season where you live.

Kevin Morgan
Baton Rouge, LA

I think this is what eldon is speaking of, not really a house just something a nest could be made upon.
http://www.hummingbird-house.com/hummhouse.html

I haven't heard of anyone who has used it.

New Jersey
Zone 6

I know of a few who have purchased these and possibly a couple of people here as well but no one has reported that the hummers in their yards have used them.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Hello Eldon,
DH and I have purchased them...as silly as it might be to others. Since there are members that have hummers that nest nearby every year, why would they need/want to purchase one? As for us, we're hoping to see the hummers before August during the fall migration. We only had one male during the Spring migration and only stayed for a couple of days. Since we had double the visitors during the fall migration as the previous fall (2007), we're hoping the odds will be in our favor this year. Since we are on the edge of the nesting area (on the map), even though it's not probable...it is possible.
It would be nice to have just one female nest nearby to have her and her babies start new generations of returnees to us to stay and not head further north. Although we can't control nature...so to speak, we are going to try our best to encourage one to stay. We will do it every year too. It's not hurting anything and we just might get lucky. So for $29.95, having the helpful added "chance" when we have no trees in the yard is money VERY inexpensive and money well spent. I've also made up several bunches of nesting material which I will strategically place near the feeders. Who knows, we just might have a lady hummer who actually likes where we set them up. If not, there is always next year
Susan Louise
from Branford CT/ live in Lincoln NE
Zone 5

Susan Louise,

I hope you didn't interpret my answer as saying your efforts are silly (I try, when replying, not to insult anyone). My point was (and is) that most species of birds have a specific sort of habitat in which they will nest, and under ordinary circumstances it's just not possible to "coax" them to do something other than what's in their programmed "nature". (That's one reason the study of the wintering hummingbirds in the southeast is so fascinating: this is an example of the birds' changing what they "normally" do, at a rate much quicker than we normally see most "evolutionary" changes.)

If you lived, say, in a deeply wooded area, with no open fields, you'd have virtually no chance of attracting a nesting meadowlark, for instance; they require open fields and they simply don't nest in the woods. Conversely, living in a yard without a single tree, the chances of attracting, say, a chickadee to nest are zero, even with a chickadee house mounted on a pole in every corner.

Ruby-throated Hummmingbirds nest in trees. Their preferred habitat is in such abundance that putting up a platform on your house, in a yard with no trees, has a chance of working approaching zero. It's not that the birds are doing it out of spite, and it really doesn't have much to do with you living on the edge of their breeding range; the right habitat would attract the birds, the wrong will not. In fact, it seems to me that on the edges of the breeding range, where the concentration of birds is likely to be less, competition for the good nesting areas is probably lower and there's less pressure to use less-than-ideal sites.

The reason I called it a waste of money is that for the $29.95 charged on the site I saw, you could buy two flats of hummingbird plant seedlings, ten 2.99 small plants, six 4.99 medium-sized plants, three 9.99 gallon-size plants, or one 29.99 really big, well-developed plant, and have many times the impact that hummingbird nest bracket will ever have in Nebraska. Yesterday, I bought a six-foot tall coral honeysuckle plant to plant over an arbor for $14.99.

I just hate to see people spend money on things that simply are not going to work when there are things we know will. But ultimately, that's a decision each of us has to make.

Kevin Morgan
Baton Rouge, LA

I agree with the others who say that nesting platforms or houses would not work for Ruby-throated hummingbirds, and probably not for any hummingbird species that I'm familiar with. I wouldn't bother, but if you don't mind spending the money, and it makes you happy, go ahead and try it. Just don't get your hopes up too high.

I wish I could find a natural nest of one of "our" hummingbirds. Even though we live in a pretty developed area near the city of Pittsburgh, we have woods in our backyard, and lots of little creeks, and some marshy areas all within a quarter mile. The area is called Whiskey Hollow, and I believe there were skirmishes there during the Whiskey Rebellion. Because of these woods, we are blessed not to lose our hummingbirds during the nesting season. These woods and wet areas must be providing good nesting habitat, and we seldom lose our hummingbirds for more than a day or two--probably when they're nest building, or incubating. Every year I think about trying to locate a nest, but with no guarantee of success, I never find the time and patience to do it.

I love the fact that we have some good habitat near us, so I was just heartsick last year when some landowner up the hill clear cut a large area of fairly mature woods. I had always been told it was not suitable for development because it's full of mine shafts and groundwater seeps, but he apparently feels differently. All of the neighbors up there are angry because the backs of their houses used to face beautiful woods. They thought it would never be developed. Now it's only devastation and probably some ugly development will go up there. Yuk! I don't know why we can't find a way to renovate and develop our cities, instead of sprawling out and ruining everything. One "positive" is I could swear I saw more birds last year than ever before, including a Yellow-billed Cuckoo--a first for our yard. I think the habitat destruction was displacing them and they had nowhere else to go.

Hello Kevin,
Well, I'm guessing you've never seen any of the pics I've posted on the gardens I built last year...a row of 5 honeysuckles (2 'Blanch Sandman', 3 'John Clayton'), a HUGE garden with everything...'Robert Kemp' Canna, 'Tithonia Torch' Mexican Sunflowers, 200+ Salvia plants: LIR, Subrotunda. Black and Blue, Yvonne's, Coral Nymph, Stan Dreamsicle, and Black Cherry...
We also had 4 Monarda plants, 7 Butterfly Bushes, 4 varieties of Agastaches, and even a Coral Honeysuckle in our patio garden. All of the honeysuckles should really be taking off big time this year since they were mainly developing a root system last year.
I am even building a 4th garden this year...with even more Salvias and Agastaches...so...
I've mentioned a long time ago that if a female Hummingbird can build a nest on a windchime (video is on youtube), it can build one anywhere...and anything is possible
I'm sorry you feel we have wasted our money. That is not how we feel. We are grateful that guy invented them! What a wonderful idea!!!!
But what if a female never nests in one...oh well, that's fine...
But what if one does...and prove all the naysayers wrong? I'd rather spend the near $30 on having a near zero possibility...than taking no chance at all and having it be "absolute" zero!
There are experts in every field of interest in the world...they are not always right. I've read several types of birding books and DH and I have experienced several "happenings" that the experts said that "just doesn't happen". I also relish in the oddball possibilities of day to day things.
Having the Hummingbird houses should just add to the possibility of us having a nesting female...this year or in the future...WooHoo!!!!!!
Kevin, you didn't hurt my feelings, we just don't agree on the possibilities...
Susan Louise
from Branford CT/ live in Lincoln NE
Zone 5

Hello Kristin,
I don't mind that our belief is different than most. Certainly DH and I are not alone. There are many others who also believe like we do who also have bought the Hummer house. It would be a boring world if we all agreed on everything.
I've always believed in miracles and always root for the longshot...whether it be on a powerball ticket, a sport's team, or the difficulties a handicap person has in what they are capable of doing...
This year I'll be a 5 year lung cancer survivor...
Guess one just has to have been where I've been...
So, in my eyes, anything is possible!!!
Susan Louise
from Branford CT/ live in Lincoln NE
Zone 5

Bravo Susan! Great attitude!

To each his own. I wouldn't be one to buy it just because I don't have a good spot for it.



New Jersey
Zone 6

Hello Helen,

Bless your heart! Thank you...

Susan Louise
from Branford CT/ live in Lincoln NE
Zone 5

0that is a fabulous outlook Susan Louise.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Penny,
Thanks Penny
Well, in my life, if I was to live by what everyone else believes (experts of all kinds included...ie., Dr's, teachers and other students 1/2 my age, bird experts of all kinds, etc)...
I should have died of lung cancer within 6 months of my diagnosis...
I wasn't smart enough to get past Algebra in math (I even got through Calculus!)
Local bird experts here that actually own bird habitat stores said we wouldn't get more than one or 2 Goldfinches...and that's if we're lucky since we live near the airport...
Hmmmmmmmm...LOL I've got a pic of when we had over 70+ and that doesn't include the ones in the neighbor's tree that were waiting their turn to get on the feeders. Those #'s are everyday...not a migratory #. We've been getting higher #'s on a daily/weekly basis and expect more when they do migrate! Those #'s are 10 fold of what that expert gets at their house. I still remember when that person laughed when I got 2 of those long tube feeders for the Goldfinches. That individul laughed at me...saying I was wasting my money getting them...saying we'd never get that many Goldfinches to fill even half of one of those long tube feeders...never mind two...ROFL
We plan on possibly having to put up a 3rd or 4th here pretty soon
And that is only one of a dozen bird examples...if I was to believe that person, I wouldn't have even put out one Goldfinch feeder!
Susan Louise
from Branford CT/ live in Lincoln NE
Zone 5

I agree that the "experts" don't have crystal balls and can't always predict the behavior of animals. Birds show up in places they never have before, eat foods no one thought they would, and do all sorts of things that the "experts" wouldn't have expected--just not very often. Experts are experts because they know a lot of stuff, but that doesn't mean they're always right. Those who claim expert knowledge are often wise to speak in likelihoods, not absolutes.

Maybe if lots of people put these houses up, along with feeders and plants, some Ruby-throats might begin to use them, raise their babies successfully, and maybe the young would go on and do the same, and start an evolutionary trend in behavior. There has to be a first for anything before it becomes commonplace. On the other hand, I fear that using a platform might be too big of a behavioral leap for them to take. That's my guess. On the other hand, I wonder what Purple Martins did before Native American put gourds out for them? At some point they made that leap, and it worked out well for them.

I wouldn't want to dash anyone's hopes, but at the same time, I wanted to be realistic. I'm glad you weren't offended by anything I said, and you shouldn't be. I don't think Kevin meant anything snide, either, but he has spoken capably for himself. I just wouldn't want anyone to think, wow, these houses are great, now I'm going to get a nesting hummingbird for sure! I don't think you were thinking that, but Eldon asked and we offered our opinions based on what we've seen ourselves or read from "experts."

I agree there's no harm in putting one up, and it's your money to spend. That would be so cool if you did get a nesting hummingbird. I know you would be ecstatic. I think it would also be a very happy, exciting, and enlightening surprise for me and the other "naysayers."

Susan Louise at the ripe old age of 62 I have learned if it makes me happy do it.



Just a few minutes ago my 8 year old granddaughter and I rode down to the hay field to check on the wild violets. The wind is ice cold but those little violets are just blooming like crazy. Snuggling Elizabeth up close I told her that years and years from now when I wasn't around I wanted her to make sure she took care of my hummingbirds and butterflies. She told me she would. That made me happy for sure.

Dianne

Southeast Alabama

Heat Zone 8

Sunset Zone 31

Hello Dianne,

(((Hugs)))...Thank you, and thanks for sharing that heartwarming story...you made my day!

Susan Louise
from Branford CT/ live in Lincoln NE
Zone 5

Susan Louise you have made my day.

Dianne
Southeast Alabama
Heat Zone 8
Sunset Zone 31

Susan Louise,
If I may offer a suggestion and it is only a suggestion. If I had your yard, I would definitely plant a small tree or large flowering shrub. Something that will give the hummers ans well as other birds something with a little more cover and protection. One year ago this past fall, I planted a dwarf red buckeye in my back yard. It isn't a fast grower and it probably won't get more than 10-15 ft. tall at maturity but it will provide nectar flowers in early spring for the hummers and perching, resting and maybe nesting areas as it matures and seeds that the squirrels love in the fall.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Penny,
I appreciate your suggestion, but we have no intention of planting any trees for several reasons. Starting this year, the huge row of Honeysuckles should be providing cover for many birds. They will be able to hide/nest, in/behind them without any problems. The staked nylon fence we built for them is 6' tall and 18" out from the fence. So when the Honeysuckles grow/fill in the netting, the birds will have plenty of spots along a 35' area on the east side of the backyard. I will also be pruning 2 of our 7 butterfly bushes in such a way for them to become "Trees". The one by the birdbath in the backyard is at it's mid-way point. I bought that 'Plum' one 3' tall and now it's about 4 1/2-5'. I'm hoping it'll be over 6' this year. It has provided much cover and perching for birds by the birdbath.
I also planted a 4' 'Plum' Butterfly Bush in the frontyard. It has grown to 5 1/2'. I'm expecting it to be about 7' by the end of the year...which will be tall enough for the Hummers to perch on when they are visiting our front porch feeders this year.
Since anywhere I plant a tree would wind up shading gardens I've already planted full sun plants...and I'm building another garden with more full sun plants...which also includes several host plants for the butterflies. One of them will be a Spicebush...which will take a few years to get to a height of 6'.



Susan Louise
from Branford CT/ live in Lincoln NE
Zone 5

Penny,
Adding to my post above...
Here is a pic of a great example of what I'm going to do to the 2 of 7 butterfly bushes we have...the one by our birdbath and the one in the front yard...
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/showimage/157020
Here's a pic of the one by the birdbath last September. It was about 4 1/2'...


Susan Louise
from Branford CT/ live in Lincoln NE
Zone 5

I envy you and your sunshine. Trees grow like weeds around here in "Penn's Woods," and most Pittsburgh area gardeners have a shortage of available sunlight due to the steep hills and abundant trees. There is only a narrow strip of sun along our driveway that is in the sun, and I've pretty much dug it all up and planted it. There's no more room, except for pots on the driveway.

Just the other day, I was thinking about taking the radical step of cutting down our Silver Maple tree in the front yard. It's never been that nice of a tree, has aggressive roots, and it casts shade everywhere. Somehow, I just can't bring myself to do it. We also have a holly tree and the hummingbirds and other birds seem to love the heavy cover it provides. I love it, too, and would never think of removing it. I've seen hummingbirds using it as a screen to hide behind, in an attempt to avoid detection by the aggressive hummingbirds. It's a favorite perching place, but they also perch in the maple.

I love your garden and I wish I had half that much space in the sun. I guess as some of your shrubs grow larger, they will function like small trees, but I can understand why Penny would make that suggestion. If shade were the only issue, a small tree on the north side of your garden might work, if your layout would allow it. Placed there, it wouldn't have to cast shade on your garden. Sounds like you've got it all figured out, though, and don't need our advice!

Hello Kristin,
Well, that's where I'm building our 4th garden...along the rest of the north fence. It will be wonderful, with so many host plants for various butterflies! Spicebush, 2 Cassia hebecarpa, False Indigo, Rue, False Nettle, Passion Flower...and some 'Raspberry Summer' Agastache, 'rupestris' Agastache, another 'Black Cherry' Salvia, and some Daylilies and Irises too (for me )
The bird feeders will be moved toward the middle of the yard from where they are now.
I came from Connecticut...so I know how trees can shade areas so easily. I remember growing up and how my dad complained about having such small areas to garden. Back then we had 2 oak trees, a pine tree and 5 dogwood trees. If we had a larger yard...a tree would be wonderful. I would have liked to have a PawPaw tree for the Butterflies, but it would shade too much of an area. Oh well, can't have it all unless one has a bigger property than us. You have the shade, we have the sun
Susan Louise
from Branford CT/ live in Lincoln NE
Zone 5

Kristin,

This is what you wrote in your last post...

"Sounds like you've got it all figured out, though, and don't need our advice!"

Well, I'm glad you recognize that I can chose how and what to grow in our own gardens/yard because it seems to me that you have a need to speak for everyone's benefit.

I just want to say that with you defending Kevin in what he wrote and Penny in what she wrote, to me it feels like you're "protecting" them and not just siding with what they wrote...which makes me feel somewhat bullied. I'm sure
They are adults and can defend what they wrote themselves.

Also, you felt a need to clarify what Eldon would think if there was any positive light shed on these hummer houses do to the lack of actual usage by hummers. My comment to that is I'm also sure he is old enough to make a wise choice for himself as well. That made me feel as if you were dismissing what I wrote on my post to Eldon.

It is one thing to speak ones opinion, as different as it is may or may not be to others, but to actually seemingly take everyone by your hand and bring them over to "your" side of the fence...so to speak, really hurt my feelings.
I thought I could just let it go, but not until I said my peace.
(Getting off my soapbox...I'm done).







Susan Louise
from Branford CT/ live in Lincoln NE
Zone 5

OK everyone back in your corners now ... no boxing gloves please.

Some of us think that the houses are interesting and worth trying and others would rather not use them. We all have our own perspective so lets just leave it at that.

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39

Kristin,
We had a huge silver maple in the front yard when we moved in 4 years ago. I tried to create raised beds around the tree, but the roots got in everywhere and everything was badly stunted.A year later we removed the tree for safety reasons, and now things can finally grow there. I am thinking of putting in a fig tree now.

Priya
Zone 7, Maryland

Priya I tried to do the same thing with our red maple. I learned the hard way that maple roots grow very shallow and the more soil and mulch you add the higher up those roots grow. I have one silver maple on the southwest corner of the house that I would love to replace but it is so big it would cost a fortune to remove. A few years ago I had strawberries planted in a bed about 20 feet away. One year the squrrels got to the berries before I did and the next year I had strawberry plants growing under that maple tree. Well the strawberry bed is now a salvia bed and nearly the entire base of the tree is full of strawberry plants and doing very well LOL!

Penny
Niagara Falls, NY
USDA zone 6a/6b
Heat zone 4
Sunset zone 39