Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
feeders without harming them. Phil wrote, “She filled another feeder with extra sugar
content and also sprayed the outside of that feeder with the stronger sugar solution. She
hungitinanareaawayfromtheotherfeeders.Thenshewenttothehummingbirdfeeders
covered with bees, scraped several of them off into a jar, and took them to the new target
feeder. She repeated this a couple of times until word among the bees spread and they all
startedgoingtothenewfeeder.Wecontinuedtokeepthe'beefeeder'fullofextrasugary
water and kept spraying the outside with that same sugar solution. The bees took only to
that one. Problem solved!” The heavy bee activity at the extra-sugary feeder discouraged
hummingbirds from visiting that feeder.
Q I've heard that we should bring in our hummingbird feeders before Labor Day;
otherwise hummingbirds might stay at the feeders instead of migrating. Is that true?
A
No.Likeothermigratorybirds,hummingbirds growrestless asdaylengthdecreases in
fall, and not even the most wonderful feeding station can hold a hummingbird when the
urge to migrate kicks in.
Stragglers aren't stupid or lazy birds being enticed to remain by our feeders. Their
bodies just weren't quite fat and muscled enough to start the journey when the others de-
parted.AfewlateRuby-throatedHummingbirdsareadultfemaleswhosefirstnestfailed.
It takes time for hummingbirds to recover after raising young, and our feeders can help
them get enough calories to fatten up, which is especially important as flowers start dry-
ing up. Most late ruby-throats are juveniles that haven't yet fully bulked up before they
can leave. Our feeders can make the difference between life and death for some of these,
especially after the first frosts.
Q The hummingbirds at my feeder seem to fight all the time. My feeder has eight
ports — why can't they share?
A
Hummingbirdsareaggressiveforagoodreason:theycan'taffordtoshareflowersdur-
ing times when not many blossoms are available. They may have to wander a long way
after nectar is depleted. This aggression is so deeply ingrained that they just can't figure
out that the “nectar” in feeders virtually never runs out and doesn't really need to be de-
fended.
Overall, you'll feed far more hummingbirds by setting out four tiny one-port feeders,
spreadoutsoabirdatonedoesn'teasilyseetheothers.You'llgettowatchhummingbirds
through more windows, and they'll be much happier, too.
RARE VISITORS: VAGRANT HUMMINGBIRDS
