Hummingbirds?

JD Mandrell

JD Mandrell

Joined
Apr 20, 2001
Messages
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Just curious if anyone else on here feeds Hummingbirds, and if you have noticed a reduction in the numbers in your area since last year?

I usually have 6-10 come to my feeders every year, and so far this year I have not had 1 in the 3 months my feeder has been up, and all over my area, friends and family are reporting the same thing, 1 or 2 at the most where in the past years it's been 10 or more.

Anyone else seeing this in their area?
 
We haven't had a feeder up in a year or so,I did see one over the weekend.We usually don't get many until the Rose of Sharon blooms.
 
Pretty normal here in NJ. We used to get about 4 or 5 birds but since our neighbors behind us put up a feeder as well we have seen only 2 regularly. I did notice a larger number of hawks in the area as well as woodpeckers.
 
A bird expert told me that the numbers have not changed. More people are feeding the birds so the numbers at feeders are down because they have more choices of where to dine.
 
Still plenty of hummers here in NoVa. One thing I have noticed, though, is that I'm not seeing any hummingbird moths!
 
Still have quite a few showing up here, I am having to refill the feeder every other day! The finches are showing up in strength as are the cowbirds and cardinals. The yellow and red house finches are my favorites tho...

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Two years ago, I was refilling 7 feeders twice a day or more, using up to a gallon and 1/2 to do so, had hundreds of them. Last year only needed two feeders, and this year only one, usually no more than 3 birds sighted at one time. But I have been told, if you see one, there are 6 more out there and you are just seeing one at a time.

James
 
Cowbirds! :mad:

As brood parasites they are foul fowl. They crowd and empty my feeders and lay eggs in other bird's nests, often starving the host's brood. My RWS 34 in .22 has dropped as many as a baker's dozen in a single day, but they continue to show up in flocks that resemble clouds. :thumbdn:
 
Hummingbird sightings are down by 2/3's around my feeders here in SE Arizona.
 
I haven't seen any around here, but I live in the city. I saw a ton in the spring when I was in Sausalito, though. I love those little buggers.
 
The hummingbird populaton appears to be in good shape around here. I don't feed them, since the sugar tends to bring nuisance bears around, and ants. The bear already knocked the burning barrel over twice in the last couple weeks.
 
Rick in KY said:
Cowbirds! :mad:

As brood parasites they are foul fowl. They crowd and empty my feeders and lay eggs in other bird's nests, often starving the host's brood. My RWS 34 in .22 has dropped as many as a baker's dozen in a single day, but they continue to show up in flocks that resemble clouds. :thumbdn:
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Cowbirds are a small number of native, beneficial, insect-eating species. They are indeed brood parasites, which allows the adults to move around, following herds and insect hatches rather than being tied to a single location. This adaptive strategy does not in any way make them undesirable species and they shouldn't be wantonly slaughtered.

It might also be helpful to know that cowbirds are migratory native species and are protected by Title 16 Chapter 7 Section 703 of the US Code. The Code also provides penalties in the form of fines (up to $15,000) and imprisonment (up to 6 months) for violations. If I wanted to cap a bunch of birds with my .22 I would shoot European Starlings. As an introduced nuisance species they are not protected by the Migratory Bird treaties. Don't expect to put a dent in their numbers though - since they were introduced in the 1890's in Central Park in NYC (in a misguided attempt to introduce all bird species mentioned in the works of Shakespeare) their numbers have risen until today they are about as numerous in the US as are people! They are rats on the wing and have directly led to the decline in Eastern Bluebird population by competing for nesting sites. Fire at will! :)
 
These are also proving to be a problem at my feeders, they tend to attack the other birds and run them off as well as trying to mate with the regular rabbits that come in to eat what the birds drop...

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mycroftt said:
If I wanted to cap a bunch of birds with my .22 I would shoot European Starlings. As an introduced nuisance species they are not protected by the Migratory Bird treaties. Don't expect to put a dent in their numbers though - since they were introduced in the 1890's in Central Park in NYC (in a misguided attempt to introduce all bird species mentioned in the works of Shakespeare) their numbers have risen until today they are about as numerous in the US as are people! They are rats on the wing and have directly led to the decline in Eastern Bluebird population by competing for nesting sites. Fire at will! :)
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AMEN

Rats on wings, best way I've heard them described yet.
 
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