| sptsman |
| (member) |
| 08/21/16 01:57 AM |
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Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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I have three feeders on my front porch. I went from one to two to three this years to keep the dominant birds from running off all of the other birds. It has worked too well. I went from seeing 3 or 4 buzzing around to seeing 12-15 most days and them emptying the feeders almost daily. They are using the crab-apple tree about 20 feet away as their refuge and hit the feeders from dawn 'til dusk. I'm using a 4 to 1 ration of nectar concentrate or sugar. Been mixing it up to see what they prefer and there verdict is in: They couldn't care less. Just give them the sweet stuff and they suck it down...
I have a porch swing within 5 feet of two of the feeders and the other is only 10' or less away. If you sit still, they buzz within inches of your head. I haven't taken the time to try it but I'm sure if I held the feeder and was perfectly still, they would come just as if I wasn't there. Not sure if they've just become acclimated to people or they're just oblivious...
Always nice to have them around, especially when the grandkids come and sit on the porch swing with me...
| SwampFox |
| (member) |
| 08/21/16 03:41 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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Humming birds are fascinating. Can't seem to attract them where I am.
| 67Firebird |
| (Former political advocate) |
| 08/21/16 05:13 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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Quote:
sptsman said:
I haven't taken the time to try it but I'm sure if I held the feeder and was perfectly still, they would come just as if I wasn't there. Not sure if they've just become acclimated to people or they're just oblivious...
I have a friend who puts her finger where a perch would be, and they sit on her finger while they feed.
wuchang
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| (spiritual advisor and gatekeeper to the Spirit World) |
| 08/21/16 09:08 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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Andy
We have two feeders running and they are draining them about as fast as we can fill them-- may have to run 3 feeders to cut down on the dogfights and dive bombings
Molly has a couple of 'button' feeders that she is getting ready to use to get them to feed out her hand-- as it is she gets close enough to touch them
Here is one of her photos from about a week ago
| sptsman |
| (member) |
| 08/21/16 09:18 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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Great pic!!
If you sit there at the break of day, for the first hour, it is complete chaos. They appear to burn more energy than they are consuming.
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wuchang
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| (spiritual advisor and gatekeeper to the Spirit World) |
| 08/21/16 10:45 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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Quote:
SwampFox said:
Humming birds are fascinating. Can't seem to attract them where I am.
Back when we lived in the Occupied Territories of North County, we asked about getting hummingbirds to visit the yard
Folks said put up a feeder and they will find it-- took forever but they finally did
Started out with 1 hummingbird visiting and slowly more started visiting-- I do not know if they imprint on feeding sites but the next year we had more and the year after even more visited
Moved to New Haven and put out a feeder-- never saw a bird for about 2 weeks and then they started showing up and now it is a regular flying circus
Don't know if our experience is standard but it seems they find the feeder-- just a matter of time
They are cool to watch and you find out they have 'vocalizations' as well the hum of the wings-- and they are super aggressive in 'defense' of a feeder once they find it
Maybe some of these other yahoos can chip in with their setups etc or Mac will chime in with a birder's perspective
good luck
| HAUS |
| (member for now) |
| 08/22/16 12:20 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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I've got (2) quart sized feeders and they'll empty a half gallon in under 8 hrs. It's damn near a full time job keeping them filled. Glad I work from home..
What amazes me is that every spring, if I don't have them out when the lil bastages move in, I've seen them hover around where the feeders normally hang.. I can't imagine there being any scent there, so I'm going to assume the little buggers are return visitors and remember where the feeders normally are..
Edit: Like someone else said, I've taken the feeders down and hung the feeder off my finger before and they'll come and sit on the feeder eventually. Once you get a mess of them around your place, don't wear red outside. They'll come and "buzz the tower" on you..
| Mac |
| (Birding Moderator) |
| 08/22/16 06:49 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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Humming birds are a natural wonder indeed. I can spend hours watching them!
Many decades ago electric fence insulators were a bright red in color. I assume this was the case so farmers could spot their posts. The consequence was disastrous to hummers. They were electrocuted in countless numbers.
Hummingbirds are great pollinators, and cause no crop damage.
Ruby throated hummingbirds is 99% of the species one will see in MO. However, there is always a chance a Rufus Hummingbird could show up. Typically they are found further south. They do look different, especially the male.
Once many years ago, there way a male Rufus that hung around a St. Joe feeder until early December!! The fella feeding the bird would provide warmed sugar water. I remember seeing the steam rise from the feeder on frosty mornings! I seriously doubt that bird made back south.
Keep your eyes open, in the Ozarks area and SW MO in particular. Like most all birds, a few sometimes get off-track and documented hundreds or thousands of miles from their historical range...
Good birding!
| HAUS |
| (member for now) |
| 08/23/16 12:37 AM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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Mac,
I looked up the Rufous hummingbird and I see them every summer in the Colorado Rockies. Our family has a place on the west side of Pikes Peak about 9800' in elevation.
I've taken pics of the male, but they're never clear. I always wondered what kind those big orange suckers were.
They're quite a bit bigger than the ruby throated ones here.
| Mac |
| (Birding Moderator) |
| 08/23/16 05:56 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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Yep, Haus. They are indeed bigger than the Ruby-throated.
Depending on where you are in the Rockies, you could conceivably see up to 6 different species (seen in Rocky Mountain National Park)
https://www.nps.gov/romo/hummingbird_family.htm
All 300 species of hummingbirds are found in South and Central America. 16 different species have been seen in the US.
So, next time you're out there see how many you might spot!
It can be sort of addictive as a pastime...
| HAUS |
| (member for now) |
| 08/23/16 07:01 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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I've got pics of what could be a female or juvenile but not sure what it is, and I can't access a photo hosting site. (Work filters)
| Mac |
| (Birding Moderator) |
| 08/23/16 10:46 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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There may be better sources on the web, but Roger Tory Peterson's Guide to Birds of Western North America is THE authority in my book. It clearly points out the difference in field markings that help clinch the species ID. Get a field guide book and you'll learn to look for the slight but apparent differences in size, plumage, behavior, voice/call of these birds. A high quality pair of binoculars and a spotting scope and tripod stand will serve you well for birding year-round.
It is not impossible to see multiple hummingbird species. It is however difficult to accomplish! Therein lies the challenge and the satisfaction of first-hand discovery. It is possible!
| Deadeye |
| (member) |
| 08/24/16 12:19 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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I'm going through 90 oz. a day, got so many I cant count them.
| Mac |
| (Birding Moderator) |
| 09/03/16 01:47 AM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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Wu,
Red-colored "anything" attracts hummers. Seems there are number of red-colored flowers that they strongly favor. Examples that come to mind includes the Cardinal flower (Lobiellia cardinalis), trumpet vines, and honeysuckle are just a few of many.
Once they come visit, and you regularly serve them up right, their denizens will arrive, limited by how much nectar you can supply!
| Bubba |
| (strangesly aroused) |
| 09/04/16 10:56 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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I find them hard to hit with a 30 year old Red Ryder at 10 feet.
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griffin
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| (administrator) |
| 09/16/16 04:47 AM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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Quote:
Mac said:
Wu,
Red-colored "anything" attracts hummers. Seems there are number of red-colored flowers that they strongly favor. Examples that come to mind includes the Cardinal flower (Lobiellia cardinalis), trumpet vines, and honeysuckle are just a few of many.
Once they come visit, and you regularly serve them up right, their denizens will arrive, limited by how much nectar you can supply!
Dude......stop.
| fastman |
| (member) |
| 09/17/16 01:54 AM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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Quote:
griffin said:Quote:
Mac said:
Wu,
Red-colored "anything" attracts hummers. Seems there are number of red-colored flowers that they strongly favor. Examples that come to mind includes the Cardinal flower (Lobiellia cardinalis), trumpet vines, and honeysuckle are just a few of many.
Once they come visit, and you regularly serve them up right, their denizens will arrive, limited by how much nectar you can supply!
Dude......stop.
ROTFLMAO X INFINITY
| DuckMeRunnin |
| (member) |
| 09/17/16 05:26 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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I saw a big one the other day in Clayton.
Not sure if it was a Largeassus Flitaboutuss or what, but it was almost twice the size of the ones at my feeders.
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dabs
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| () |
| 09/23/16 04:54 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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Quote:
Bubba said:
I find them hard to hit with a 30 year old Red Ryder at 10 feet.
I think I can speak on behalf of everyone who has seen you shoot first-hand. There is no surprise in the above statement
| Bubba |
| (strangesly aroused) |
| 09/25/16 11:21 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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Well cork sucker...how disappointing.
| sptsman |
| (member) |
| 10/03/16 01:07 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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They're almost all gone. A few stragglers but the party is almost over... I'll leave the feeders out another week or so but can't imagine they'll need filling again...
| Deadeye |
| (member) |
| 10/03/16 02:08 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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Ive only got 4 left, I will leave one the feeder out for a couple of weeks for the migrators.
| fish |
| (senior member - literally) |
| 10/03/16 08:02 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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They're gone. Feeders washed up and put away. time to pay attention to bigger birds
| DuckMeRunnin |
| (member) |
| 10/08/16 07:33 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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I left the feeders out, mostly for the honey bees, and the occasional Monarch. But there sure was a beautiful ruby throated male at one of the feeders yesterday.
| DuckMeRunnin |
| (member) |
| 10/09/16 10:35 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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No bullsh!t, there's a hundred honey bees that are gorging on the nectar.
When you see them with the sunlight behind them, they are drinking the Kool_Aid for sure. Their thoraxes are aglow with a scarlet translucent iridescence, and their behavior produces a Pavlovian response similar to the stereotypical salivation one would expect in the prescribed circumstance.
No CHIT 111
| fish |
| (senior member - literally) |
| 10/10/16 10:07 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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You mean like... they like it ???
| DuckMeRunnin |
| (member) |
| 10/10/16 10:58 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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Yessir, I was just trying to beat Mac, and get in the first blow.
| sptsman |
| (member) |
| 10/12/16 02:04 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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Damn, the fluteman waxing all poetic and chit...
| sptsman |
| (member) |
| 10/13/16 12:11 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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Watched this on PBS last night. If this doesn't impress you, go back to your WWE programming. Hummingbird documentary on PBS
| Mac |
| (Birding Moderator) |
| 10/13/16 11:08 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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Link expired but I'll smoke it out. Thanks...
| Mac |
| (Birding Moderator) |
| 10/13/16 11:23 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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It all comes down to one's own curiosity about the natural world. Most duck hunters generally ignore everything that flies except ducks. Too bad...
There are some 300+ species of birds that have been identified over the years in MO. 99% of the general public have never seen even 10% of that. To accomplish even 200 species in MO requires far more effort and persistence than you'd ever imagine.
| fastman |
| (member) |
| 10/15/16 03:37 AM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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bump
| HAUS |
| (member for now) |
| 01/05/17 10:02 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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been hell trying to keep the feeders from freezing up but still keeping a dozen or so birds fed...
| last_stand |
| (the gay card thrower Call Me Ragnar) |
| 02/23/17 09:00 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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Just taking a wild guess they might be early this year.....
| HAUS |
| (member for now) |
| 02/24/17 01:48 PM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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they never left..
saw folks mowing their yards yesterday too..
check out my post in the shroom forum. that's legit
| sptsman |
| (member) |
| 04/19/17 12:03 AM |
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Re: Hummingbirds devouring my sugar
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Have had the feeders out about a week now. No takers yet but I'm typing this from the road and won't get back home until Sunday. Hope to have some around by then...