Tag Archives: territory

Hummingbird Fighting All the Time?

Why Are Our Ruby-throated Hummingbirds Fighting All The Time?

Ruby Throated Hummingbird 08-26-2016 1
This time of year is the height of hummingbird season in North East Georgia. Our main visitor to these parts (that is east of the Mississippi River) is the ruby-throated hummingbird.

These jewels of summer spend most of their time in the tree branches guarding their food supply. I get asked all the time “why are they fighting when I have two, three, or even more feeders available?”

The probably answer is even though their territories have been compacted by the sheer number of hummingbirds there is enough natural food in the area to keep the birds spread out. In other words it’s easy to chase off one or two competitors but if you had fifty birds they would have to be more cordial and share the nectar.

These hummingbirds will be with us until the 2nd week of October. Keep your feeders out until November and you will catch some stragglers.