Anyone else have an unusually large number of hummingbirds this year?

[QRTRHRS]

As darkness sets in, my numbers drop off even with the dusk/dawn light on a power pole about fifty feet from the feeders.

Cardinals are one of the earliest and latest feeders.

 

[Duds13]

Do HB's feed after dark and before dawn? I have seen birds at the window feeder before dawn and after dark so now wonder if that's a common thing. Anyone know?

Mine feed all day, but the recent crazy activity has been happening early morning and evening.

 

[Gem99ultra]

Mine feed all day, but the recent crazy activity has been happening early morning and evening.

Same here, i.e. flocks throughout the day but seemingly none during the night. I don't know, but I do believe, they must lower thier metabolism during the dark hours. So, in summary, I suspect they don't feed at night unless they have a real hunger problem.
Hopefully we'll see a HB expert on here to clarify that unknown question.

 

[kenmbz]

Same here, i.e. flocks throughout the day but seemingly none during the night. I don't know, but I do believe, they must lower thier metabolism during the dark hours. So, in summary, I suspect they don't feed at night unless they have a real hunger problem.
Hopefully we'll see a HB expert on here to clarify that unknown question.

Most birds don't fly at night unless in danger.

 

[ponytug]

Same here, i.e. flocks throughout the day but seemingly none during the night. I don't know, but I do believe, they must lower thier metabolism during the dark hours. So, in summary, I suspect they don't feed at night unless they have a real hunger problem.
Hopefully we'll see a HB expert on here to clarify that unknown question.

Yes, hummingbirds go into a mild form of hibernation overnight called torpor, with greatly reduced metabolism. So, no, they aren't flying when it is dark outside, though twilight is a great time for them to feed upon bugs, which contain protein and fats, needed by the hummingbirds.

All the best, Peter

 

[Larry Caldwell]

We see this behavior all the time. Hummingbirds are quite territorial.

It depends on the species. Rufous roosters are fighters, Annas are more peaceful.

 

[John0829]

Here the females are as much a fighter as the males are, in fact many of them tend to instigate more than the males. It is fun to watch though.

 

[Sigarms]

Just came back from our 2 week vacation out west, and we've never seen as many hummingbirds this year as we have this week.

This morning outside on the phone, counted 12 around the feeder. That's around what we would see on a normal summer last year, but before we left this month, generally if we saw 1 or 2 we'd be lucky.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

I have had a bunch this week.

 

[ArlyA]

For ruby's, the females stay away from feeders while nesting so who you are seeing at the feeders are males. Once the brood is up and old enough, they hens will show them feeders, but the males are the 1st to head south and they might be gone by that time. None feed at night.

 

[goeduck]

Just came back from our 2 week vacation out west, and we've never seen as many hummingbirds this year as we have this week.

This morning outside on the phone, counted 12 around the feeder. That's around what we would see on a normal summer last year, but before we left this month, generally if we saw 1 or 2 we'd be lucky.

They were probably saying "what took you so long, we've been waiting".

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

We had one set off our ring doorbell this week. I guess it thought we needed to fill up it's feeders?

 

[NoTrespassing]

Most birds don't fly at night unless in danger.

except these:

• North Island brown kiwi, Apteryx mantelli[1]
• Black-crowned night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax[1]
• Barn owl, Tyto alba[1]
• Short-eared owl, Asio flammeus[1]
• Long-eared owl, Asio otus[1]
• Great horned owl, Bubo virginianus[1]
• Barred owl, Strix varia[1]
• Spotted owl, Strix occidentalis[1]
• Eastern screech-owl, Megascops asio[1]
• Western screech-owl, Megascops kennicottii[1]
• Whiskered screech-owl, Megascops trichopsis[1]
• Flammulated owl, Psiloscops flammeolus[1]
• Elf owl, Micrathene whitneyi[1]
• Great gray owl, Strix nebulosa[1]
• Northern saw-whet owl, Aegolius acadicus[1]
• Boreal owl, Aegolius funereus[1]
• Burrowing owl, Athene cunicularia[1]
• Powerful owl, Ninox strenua[2]
• Barking owl, Ninox connivens[2]
• Southern boobook, Ninox boobook[2]
• Tasmanian boobook, Ninox leucopsis[2]
• Rufous owl, Ninox rufa[2]
• Norfolk Island Boobook, Ninox novaeseelandiae undulata[2]
• Christmas Island Hawk-Owl, Ninox natalis[2]
• Eastern barn owl, Tyto alba delicatula[2]
• Kākāpō, Strigops habroptilus[1]
• Marbled frogmouth, Podargus ocellatus[2]
• Tawny frogmouth, Podargus strigoides[2]
• Papuan frogmouth, Podargus papuensis[2]
• White-throated nightjar, Eurostopodus mystacalis[2]
• Spotted nightjar, Eurostopodus argus[2]
• Australasian Large-tailed nightjar, Caprimulgus macrurus schlegelii[2]
• Australian owlet-nightjar, Aegotheles cristatus[2]
• Oilbird, Steatornis caripensis[3]
• Nightingale
• Nightjar

 

[John0829]

We have several owls around the house hearing the who-who's every night, but it can be quite eerie out at night especially if the screech owl lets loose.

Here is a pic of one that we think flew into the house a few years ago and injured itself, turned it over to a rescue group who got it healed up and then released it in our backyard. Of course he was named Hootie.

 

[NoTrespassing]

Give a Hoot, Don't Pollute. That was Woodsy Owl (1970), and this post could also be used in the "you know you're old when" thread!

 

[goeduck]

We have several owls around the house hearing the who-who's every night, but it can be quite eerie out at night especially if the screech owl lets loose.

Here is a pic of one that we think flew into the house a few years ago and injured itself, turned it over to a rescue group who got it healed up and then released it in our backyard. Of course he was named Hootie.

View attachment 3989281

I can't wrap my head around that picture. An owl? Looks more like a fox or rabbit.

Edit:
Or is it facing left?

 

[John0829]

Young owl facing left. Not the best pics since we were busy trying to figure out the best way to safely capture him without further injury

 

[sixdogs]

All of a sudden, the last week for us has been a huge increase in birds with them swarming all over the feeders and zooming by the kitchen window where the feeders are. There are lots of young birds and they are chasing and playing in the air like I've never seen. We probably had 150 visits yesterday and that could be low. At times, the wife has had to fill the feeders twice a day.

Here's a thought. We all know bird population had been declining for a few years plus the bird flu impact. Could that have cleared the gene pools and now the stronger and more adaptable birds are reinvigorating the species?

 

[ArlyA]

It might be the males migrating through or hatching's just out of the nest. We see a bump up in numbers in the late summer as well.

 

[QRTRHRS]

We have fourteen feeders up on our back porch which the birds seem to prefer over the front porch where we have four smaller feeders. I sat down for a spell on the front porch yesterday and counted upward of 14-15 birds. There is no counting on the back. It's just a frenzy!

Of those fourteen feeders, four hold about three cups of sugar water, one a whole quart and two maybe a half a quart with the rest that hold maybe a cup or so.

We are going through on average six quarts of sugar water a day!

Given the late start that we had this year, I am wondering if bird flu or bad weather had an effect on the population and heavy breeding is bringing back the numbers?