About a week ago, I was watering the plants on my back patio when a hummingbird started buzzing around my head. It was rather insistent and would not fly away. I wondered if it was because I did not have my feeders up yet, because they needed a thorough cleaning. I remembered that this had also happened to me a couple of years ago, in pretty much the same spot in my yard.
Since Google is our friend, I immediately did a search on hummingbird behavior. It turns out that hummingbirds live 3-5 years. They do recognize certain people that they know. Also, hummingbirds will buzz around the head of someone that they know to let them know that a feeder is empty or that the sugar mixture is going bad. So, I guess I was being told to get busy with the feeders. LOL
I love to watch the hummingbirds at my feeders. I have seen so many videos of many hummingbirds at one feeder or multiple feeders. I am not sure how this happens. My hummingbirds are turfy and will chase each other away from the feeders. One sits up in one of my bushes out front waiting and watching his feeders. LOL
I use a simple formula of four parts of lukewarm water to one part sugar in my feeders. It is important to change out the feeders pretty regularly because mold causes fermentation and fungus which can make hummingbirds sick or can cause death. It is also important not to use commercial feeding solutions, honey or red food coloring can be detrimental to the health of a hummingbird over time.
Hummingbirds have super short legs so they tend to not use a bird bath unless it is one that has a spray that they can fly through. Also, remember to keep the bird bath water clean, too.
Hummingbird feeders can cause hours of entertainment. They are also important pollinators. Obviously, hummingbirds are also the boss of me, so I am keeping a close eye on the feeders so I do not get in trouble again. LOL
2 comments:
They are so interesting, & smart.
We have them here, they are very territorial, not sharing, so they come 1 by 1.
We also make our own "juice", they love it.
We recently have a Woodpecker coming & drinking from it!
We had to take the suet down because the Blackbirds were chasing them away & destroying it.
Marilyn
Super information on hummers! We love to watch them as well. At the moment, we have four feeders out with probably a dozen or so birds. They could each have their own feeder and they still wouldn't be nice to each other. Have a blessed Sunday!
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