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

[BoylermanCT]

I'm refilling my 8 feeders every other day. Never gone through food that fast. Been a great year for hummers.

 

[kenmbz]

I have three and found one of their weird nests hanging off a branch. Maybe will have more soon. Weekly refill to feeders now

 

[sixdogs]

Here's a pic of a baby hummingbird that just showed up for the first time today. He's been here several times already. Look at the short beak and tiny bird.

I think hummingbirds have a few hatches a year and the first hatch birds seemed to be here in late May-early June. I really don't know but this bird is so small it couldn't be a June bird and would have to be a later hatch. I read that it's three weeks from the time they hatch to when they are feather out and leave the nest. It takes 11 to 22 days to hatch.

The wife's running her tail off filling feeders. She doesn't fill them full because she wants the food to be fresh. As mentioned before, we had only a few birds a year for several years and suddenly last year it went crazy with hundreds of visits. This year it's many multiples of that.

 

[goeduck]

I'm refilling my 8 feeders every other day. Never gone through food that fast. Been a great year for hummers.

Holy cow!

 

[sixdogs]

Any chance hummingbirds will become dependent on our feeders and not know how to forage when the time comes?

 

[ArlyA]

Any chance hummingbirds will become dependent on our feeders and not know how to forage when the time comes?

Rubies are omnivores. I read someplace that the females won't even go to feeders when they have a brood. To much competition for a busy mom. So no, I'd guess they still know how to feed.

 

[goeduck]

My migratory birds seem to use the feeder to fatten up. My resident birds seem to use the feeders to winter over. Besides that, for snack time.

 

[oosik]

No - I have my standard number this year - 8 to 10. However, I have two pairs that refuse to leave. I faithfully refill the feeder every third day. I hope they haven't become dependent on the feeder.

 

[CADplans]

No - I have my standard number this year - 8 to 10. However, I have two pairs that refuse to leave. I faithfully refill the feeder every third day. I hope they haven't become dependent on the feeder.

How many ounces does it take to fill your feeder? If you fill 20 ounces of water a day, you actually have 40 birds,,
They only consume 1/2 ounce per bird per day,, I am filling over 40 ounces of mix per day,,,

 

[dragoneggs]

How many ounces does it take to fill your feeder? If you fill 20 ounces of water a day, you actually have 40 birds,,
They only consume 1/2 ounce per bird per day,, I am filling over 40 ounces of mix per day,,,

Wow! I am currently running about 24oz every three or four days. But I am competing with two neighbors! :thumbdown: