A question for you regulars.

I have seen my hummers chase bees from the feeder, that is understandable. Why are they chasing the cardinals? This has happen on several occasions over the past couple of weeks. The cardinal seems to be minding his own business and doing his usual routine.

They sure are spunky for little guys.

Thanks,
Scott

Scott
They don't wan't any other bird invading their territory.

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

Considering the hundreds of birds visiting my feeders each day, that little gal sure has her work cut out for her. You go girl!

I just hope I have my camera in hand the day she takes on a hawk!

Scott

Scott,

You might want to move your hummingbird feeder a little further away from your other feeders. They usually like to perch nearby and guard their feeder.

Carol

Carol R
Tennessee
USDA Hardiness Zone 7
Heat Zone 7

Thank you for the suggestion about moving the feeder.

It is not the hummingbird I am worried about, it is every other bird in the yard LOL

She has an assortment of feeders scattered throughout the yard to dine at, some not in sight of any other feeder or birds. I'd have to believe if she is defending this particular feeder, she is doing so out of sheer enjoyment of terrifying the other birds. Generally, she struts about the yard without any concern for the other birds. As I have mentioned in an earlier thread, she sits about five feet above the main feeding station in my yard, in the same tree as all the visiting birds. I'd have to believe it is the same nesting female from past year(s), and she seems to feel at home. Maybe she is giving her children a lesson on how to intimidate larger birds.

Scott

Are you sure its a female? I was under the impression that the males are the only territorial ones. I've never seen the female act in this way......unless their offspring are nearby and they are protecting fledglings. Than all bets are off ad I side with Momma, cause if Mooma ain't happy......

Pam NJ 6B

I can't say for sure it is the female, as they do whizz by pretty fast. It is just that the female is who I see most of the time in that part of the yard during that time of the day. But there are males around daily, and it could just as easily be one of them.

I wish there was someone who lived around me that can explain what the heck these little guys are up to. Most of their behavior are still a big puzzle to me.

To go off on a tangent...

Sitting on the back porch this evening, I counted 11 hummers buzzing around at one time, could have been more (that is only the two feeders I can see from my back porch, I have three other feeders scattered on each side of my house). I don't get how during the day I see mainly the one female, then towards the evening all h*ll breaks loose and there 6-10 hummers in sight defending feeders/trying to feed at any given time. I imagine the female and her offspring are doing so. I just don't get why there is so much action in the evening, and things are so calm during the day. Like I said, in the morning I see the female doing her regular routine, checking out all the flowers in sequence. I can predict what flower she will go to next. Nice, calm, just the one female. No activity like I see in the evenings. What happens to cause so much activity in the evening?

Thank you,
Scott