10 replies to this topic

[PanHanNE]

What is the meanest hummingbird? The most "territorial" even during migration. I have a hummer out there today that has staked out two large trees, over 20 foot apart at their closest point, as its personal territory. I have watched it chase off bluejays, gray catbirds, a brown thrasher, dive bomb a whole flock of house sparrows, and refuses to even share a single branch with house finches. (Although the robin eventually moved, I think it was more its choice of time and place.... nothing seems to bother robins, not even people)

I have watched broad-tailed hummingbirds and ruby-throated hummingbirds both chase off all other hummers, bees, and butterfly moths, but this is the first hummer I have had the opportunity of watching chasing EVERYTHING off.

[Chaseman]

I have Ruby Throated, and they chase everything when they take a break from their nonstop fighting. It's dangerous right now to even be out in the yard because I just know I'm going to get impaled with one of their beaks. Mine haven't chased anything larger than a bluejay, but someone commented on a post the other day that they had one chase a hawk off. So much for their tiny, sweet appearance!

[Pat B.]

Try Rufous. They can be nasty!

[Aveschapines]

In my experience, the smaller, the nastier. The smallest ones I get are Ruby-Throated (during fall migration - any day now!!!) and they are the most vicious fighters. They will chase away four Magnificents, each at least four times their size. The White-eareds (larger than Rubies but still much smaller than Magnificents) will also chase the Magnificents away, and they argue among themselves constantly.

[creeker]

I've got to get a vote in for Anna's. I've seen them chasing off Red-tailed hawks, Ravens, kingbirds, etc. The fights at my feeder get absolutely brutal.

[PanHanNE]

So it sounds as if all hummingbirds are just mean little hummers, and behavior is not a diagnostic between species. Thank you all for your insights and input.

[John Shauger]

I vote for Rufus too.

[SeeBirds]

I was visiting a friend in the foothills, she has 4 feeders right outside her windows. Great show! She had Allens, Anna's, Calliope - their pretty tiny! and a possible Black Chinned. The Allen's seemed to be the most aggressive, but she said she has an Anna's that staked out the feeders. After watching them for 2 days, I call all hummers the Chihuahua's of the bird world!

[Aveschapines]

I agree they're all pretty mean. I wouldn't do well as a hummer!

[whip por will]

Lol, I like the comparison that SeeBird makes with the hummers! Chihuahua's of the bird world. The metabolism that hummers have ensures that they compete for food and territory. Hummers are one of my very favorite birds. I have watched them for many years in the Carolinas and Florida. Although there are only two species I'm familiar with, those being the Rufous and Ruby Throated variety. Of these two the Rufous appears to be the more vicious. Hummers are pretty busy when it comes to breeding while at home or on migration. This is when they become the most aggressive protecting a tiny golf-ball size nest in a conspicuous tree. If you look closely, you can locate the nest. I have seen Rubies with nests in late summer. September usually has some really young hummers about the feeders. They sometimes miss the migratory call and may have bouts with the cold. I have seen a few on the ground after a near 40 degree night in mid October. Sometimes they come out of the torpidity and leave for the winter. Sometimes they don't recover and die in that state. Wonderful creatures.

[cestma]

Nice observations, whip por will. I'd love to have seen all that.