[Birdtalk] Hummers behavior

[John Morgan]

I've been watching a very selfish Black-chinned guard my feeder for most of the Summer ....until recently. The new owner seems to be some sort of Broad-tailed variant. VERY aggressive! If he's not a broad-tailed, then he's a young Rufous. Lots more orange, but still looks like a young B-C male according to Sibley's.

We had dinner at Silver Fork Lodge recently. Sat outside and watched the hummers @ around 5:00 p.m. and was amazed to see up to 6 birds sharing the same feeder, leaving the other feeders untouched.. Even a male broad-chinned with colorful throat (if I'm wrong, I'll call it a Bohemian hummer) joined the group and all continued sipping peacefully.

So I came home after that experience and bought 2 new feeders (hoping to attract more birds like at Silver Fork Lodge). They were placed within 15' of each other. No change. Now the Broad-tailed Troll flits about guarding the entire back yard! This guy is relentless, spending nearly all his energy chasing off other birds.

Can someone explain the total difference of behavior in these two environs? Are there so many birds at Silver Fork that ownership is impossible? Made no sense to me.

John
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Utah Birds 
  To: Birdtalk 
  Sent: Monday, August 18, 2008 8:47 AM
  Subject: [Birdtalk] Hummers


  <forwarded from Carol Gwynn>

  I heard my first Broad-tailed Hummer of the fall migration come through 
  the neighborhood this evening. Yesterday, the hummer show continued at 
  Red Butte Gardens, south of the U. of U. Most of the Black-chins had 
  been ousted from the favored flower patch by an unruly gang of Rufous 
  Hummers. There was also one Calliope that came through. What an amazing 
  show.

  Carol Gwynn



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