Hummer’s Mean Home: Part I (Perching)~

On By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS, REVERIES, Wild Life


Coming home means hanging out with the hummers.

I don’t worry about them when I’m gone.

I just miss them.

My husband, the actual-factual, logical-biostatistician, said incredulously, “They fly up to me like they missed me.”

He’s not used to thinking like this,


but he can’t help noticing such obvious birdy behavior.

Speaking of birdy behavior, we are having a problem this year.

The snoozing little capitalist you see above is dominating two quart-sized feeders and relentlessly attacking and driving all hummers off who try to feed. He spends more time hoarding nectar than feeding and snoozes all the time because he’s exhausted from all his effort. Of course he can’t even begin to drink this much nectar!

You can see him perched on the wire above the feeder, waiting to attack any bird that dares to drink! We have three feeders now spaced far apart to control him, one in a bush that is impossible for him to monitor, but when I shut one of “his” feeders down, he goes to dominate another. We have never had such a greedy little guy and he reigns unchallenged. I hope he’s not learning this behavior from watching humans! 😉


Cheers to you from the harmonious Holler Hummers….(and the one little greedy guy)~

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295 thoughts on “Hummer’s Mean Home: Part I (Perching)~”

  8. Welcome home. Precious, beautiful hummers were aware and happy to see your return. Did they hope your husband would do something about the Greedy One? 3 feeders, now, in Abundant Kingdom.

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    1. Yes definitely, they wanted him to figure out a solution. My computer desk sits by a window next to two feeders. If one goes empty, they fly up to my window and hover there buzzing, prompting me to get up and refill! Laughing. They are preternatural little creatures!

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    1. I think you might be right and humans are generally worse at it then other animals. Although I have a grandog who is quite a toy stealer and hider, but I think he learned this from close association with humans! 😉 😉

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  11. Great pictures! And tell your actual-factual husband that birds do remember people!… 😉

    I feed my feathered friends only in winter so they will not forget how to fend for themselves and become too dependent on me. My ‘problem’ folks are a bit the jackdaws. They are rather boisterous without really chasing away others, but also very amusing. Whatever they can carry away to eat ‘back home’, they certainly will 😀 So it is a constant game to find ways to tell them that my different (4) restaurants aren’t ‘take away’… and each time it takes them only a short while to figure out my last trick… They certainly keep me on my toes… 😀

    Another thing is that when I go out into my little jungle, I hardly ever rate a warning call unless I’m maybe too close to their little ones that are exercising their wings. while usually I can follow any cat or less familiar being around the place by just the calls that arise. So, they certainly know the difference 🙂

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    1. How wonderful! It is great to talk with a fellow bird appreciator! Yes, birds are being intensely studied now, finally, for all sorts of advanced intelligence, of course as you mention memory and recognition, but also far more complicated things like sense of self in the environment. The intelligence of corvids is now known to be similar to that of the great apes. Ravens can remember a person who did a mean thing to them for five years. Birds have brought me presents (magpies). Hummingbirds follow us around the garden and join us on our walks. Owls and I sing together and black birds eat routinely out of my son’s hands. Birds seem to favor certain people. They know where I am and what I am doing long before I know the same about them. I know this because every time I find one in telephoto they are staring directly at me even if a half mile away! Birds rock!

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  12. Adorable! They are such fearless defenders of their territory. I’ve often been dive bombed when I’m too close to the flower they want, and they chase each other off the cape honeysuckle constantly. I could watch them all day.

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  16. Beautiful Cindy – not just the hummers (I didnt know they were so colorful!) but the post, the sentiments, the patience, the humor, the person behind the camera – amazing!

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  18. Your hummers are gorgeous! Shame on that one hummer hogging the feeders! He obviously didn’t learn to share! Welcome back to your holler sweetie! Hugz Lisa and Bear

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    1. Yep. I’ve seen bits of this behavior but never such total domination. We have outsmarted him thank God, but it did take LOTS of effort on our part!!! 😉 😉

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  20. Pingback: Amazing photographs of humming birds from blogger: Cindy Knoke | Rethinking Life

  23. Sounds like one of our chipmunks. We named him Dennis because he’s a menace!! But he’s learning to be kinder. I hope your little guy does too! Fabulous photos, incredible birds!!!

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  36. I expect they do miss you as an interesting phenomena and friendly presence. Pretty little things and a pleasure to see but I suppose that is no guarantee of good behaviour. 😀

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  46. This little bird is aggressive. 🙂 I bet they were so happy to see you and your husband.
    These photos are incredibly clear!

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