[Fuusmchat] Hummingbirds

Fri Jul 5 19:42:56 CDT 2024

Ah. I knew he was defending something, interesting distinction between that
and family. And I think I read that bird songs are also used to mark
territorial boundaries?? I do remember it was kind of funny seeing such a
tiny little guy go after birds many times his size.
I'd love for you to go on and on, but I'd have to read it all later.
Scarlatti waits. He is sooo demanding ��

Randall Kidder

On Fri, Jul 5, 2024, 6:42 PM Dawn Hewitt via fuusmchat <fuusmchat at fuusm.org>
wrote:

> Nests (of any bird) are not bedrooms, but nurseries. When male and female
> birds look similar, males often incubate eggs and tend to young, but when
> males are brighter than females, they rarely do. The males of most species
> do provide some assistance in providing for the nestlings and sometimes
> even the fledglings, but not hummingbirds. No adult male hummingbird would
> ever sleep in a nest. And once the young (with eggs the size of jellybeans,
> by the way) have left the nest, the female abandons the nest, too. The male
> hummingbird you watched was defending its territory, not its family. It is
> next to impossible that it would recognize its own young, and would have no
> interest in his baby mamma. He might, however, defend the feeders in his
> territory.
>
> I could go on about this for many, many pages.
>
> —dawn
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
> On Jul 5, 2024, at 3:54 PM, Randall Kidder via fuusmchat <
> fuusmchat at fuusm.org> wrote:
>
> 
> Oh. Thanks for clarifying. I got the impression from his behaviour that,
> although hummingbirds don't wed for life like swans, geese & other birds:
> the ♀️ and ♂️ hummerssort of had a "common law" living arrangement for the
> season, then when the kids were grown, he separated & went on to get a new
> main squeeze next time around. It seemed to be so because he hung around &
> seemed to protect the "family" and chase other birds. I don't know if he
> slept in the nest or just took it as a day job - as if some bird judge
> ordered him to pay child support til the kids were grown. He *was *pretty
> cute when he'd sit on the porch railing, like "daring" other birds to cross
> into his territory.
> BTW, this was around 35 years ago. There was a big picture window
> overlooking the porch so it was easy to see him and the hanging fuschia
> from the living room. We also had a few hummingbird feeders - you know -
> with that red sugar water.
>
>
> Randall Kidder
>
> On Fri, Jul 5, 2024, 3:35 PM Dawn Hewitt via fuusmchat <
> fuusmchat at fuusm.org> wrote:
>
>> Not quite accurate, Randall. Male and female hummingbirds do not form
>> pair bonds at all. The male has two jobs, reproductionwise: impress the
>> female, and mate with her. Then he’s outta there. He may have several mates
>> living in the territory he defends, but he provides no help in nest
>> building, feeding her while she’s incubating, or providing for the
>> nestlings or fledglings. Male hummingbirds are 100% deadbeat dads! But,
>> boy, are they handsome!!
>>
>> —dawn
>>
>> Sent from my iPad
>>
>> On Jul 4, 2024, at 9:05 PM, Randall Kidder via fuusmchat <
>> fuusmchat at fuusm.org> wrote:
>>
>> 
>> It was fun, and really interesting to watch the babies grow. This was
>> unfortunately back inna day, before cell phones & the convenience of photos
>> & video, & I didn't even have a camera. ��
>> Unlike geese, swans or pigeons which mate for life, hummers get new
>> partners every season; but that male was sooo protective, chasing after
>> birds far bigger than him. Serious business to him I'm sure, but from my
>> perspective, it was kinda cute & funny. And he always won, at least the
>> times I observed it. I think maybe it was mostly his speed: like aerial
>> combat between a Messerschmitt vs a B-17 Flying Fortress.
>> Bird combat ��
>>
>> Randall Kidder
>>
>> On Thu, Jul 4, 2024, 4:48 PM Chris Hoke via fuusmchat <
>> fuusmchat at fuusm.org> wrote:
>>
>>> Wow, I am jealous, Randall! I would LOVE to see a hummingbird nest with
>>> eggs or babies.
>>>
>>> Chris
>>> ------------------------------
>>> *From:* fuusmchat <fuusmchat-bounces at fuusm.org> on behalf of Martha
>>> McGovern via fuusmchat <fuusmchat at fuusm.org>
>>> *Sent:* Thursday, July 4, 2024 10:37 AM
>>> *To:* All topics, all people,anytime for FUUSM members and friends. <
>>> fuusmchat at fuusm.org>
>>> *Cc:* Martha McGovern <marthamcg at suddenlink.net>
>>> *Subject:* Re: [Fuusmchat] Hummingbirds
>>>
>>>
>>> Interesting descriptions, especially of the nest and tiny eggs, Randy.
>>> Thanks for sharing.  My aunt and uncle lived in Sedona, Arizona and had an
>>> active hummingbird feeder on their patio.  It was a delight to watch.
>>>
>>> Martha
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Sent from Mail <https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=550986> for
>>> Windows
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *From: *Randall Kidder via fuusmchat <fuusmchat at fuusm.org>
>>> *Sent: *Tuesday, July 2, 2024 11:55 PM
>>> *To: *All topics, all people, anytime for FUUSM members and friends.
>>> <fuusmchat at fuusm.org>
>>> *Cc: *Randall Kidder <randallkidder88 at gmail.com>
>>> *Subject: *Re: [Fuusmchat] Hummingbirds
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> I remember one place I lived we had fuschias (& hummingbird feeders)
>>> hanging on the porch. One year a hummer made a nest in one of the hanging
>>> baskets. !!  Occasionally I would climb a ladder to check on the eggs, like
>>> about the size of my little fingernail. They hatched. So tiny! And the
>>> alpha male would often * sit *on the porch railing & "stand guard" and
>>> actually fly off & harass other birds that came near. It's the only time I
>>> ever saw one sit. Kinda funny & cute (sort of a David & Goliath thing).
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Once visited my aunt in Arizona. They had hummingbird feeders on the
>>> back porch in Great Sand Dunes Nat'l Park (her husband was a park ranger,
>>> he specialized in ornithology - even wrote pamphlets & booklets for the
>>> Park Service). The air would sometimes be literally buzzing dronelike with
>>> over half a dozen different species of hummers flying around. It was so
>>> cool seeing so many different kinds.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Randall Kidder
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Tue, Jul 2, 2024, 12:10 PM Chris Hoke via fuusmchat <
>>> fuusmchat at fuusm.org> wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi Dawn:
>>>
>>> Last night, Sunday, I was out on the deck from about 8:30 - 9:30 pm. The
>>> hummers were busy at the feeder. I saw four of them fussing around and
>>> finally settled on the feeder together. They came and went. At one time
>>> when there were four of them at the feeder, I saw two more flying about.
>>> So, we have at least 6 hummers here. No doubt many more.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> So you need to report to Julie Z. That all your hummers are here in
>>> Tyler Co. WV!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> They must like my "cooking"!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Chris
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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