Ruby-throated Hummingbird Migration

I'm stuck on hummingbirds right now.  They are so entertaining that I can't get enough of watching them.  I have a ring-side seat right in front of the nectar feeders--four of them--and the birds don't seems to mind. With this intimate view, I see lots of interesting behaviors.  

Like juveniles 'flight-wrestling'.  With tails fanned, their bodies in vertical positions, they circle each other,  moving up and down until one of them finally dominates.  On three separate occasions while watching these maneuvers, I've seen both birds hit the ground.  I'm never fast enough to capture it with my camera, but my jaw drops every time.  And I think to myself, they're practicing, preparation for survival on their wintering grounds, and they're exercising, getting stronger, becoming more skilled in flight maneuvers and quickness.  That just stirs my heart.  

And I'm always intrigued when I see shifts in the feeder dominance.  For example, when three white-throated birds settle on a  single feeder together almost at the same time, with no dispute at all.  Is this just three seriously thirsty hummingbirds, a group of timid juveniles, or maybe my resident female with her fledglings?  I did manage to capture the fledgling you see above, who perched for a long time and drank without interruption.  It made me wonder if I had been seeing the parent female among the quarreling birds, quickly intervening when others flew in.  If you look closely at the image (click to enlarge), you can see the fledgling's gape.  His mouth is slightly open.

Above, Ruby-throated hummingbird male

And then there are the times that I see two males settle on the feeder together.  Wow, I think, a couple of no-nonsense travelers with no time to quarrel.  Below you'll see a series of images of a male perched as a juvenile joins him on the feeder, another fun moment.   After watching the loud buzzing and high-speed dives of some of the males who perform these maneuvers from high oak limbs, watching a juvenile settle beside a male on the nectar feeder feels like a sweet moment even if the motivations are far from it.

Eventually, it had to end.  They always seem to depart with a burst of aggression.

New visitors to the feeders seem to come in waves.  I can tell when they are perched on limbs overhead waiting to advance by the continuous chirps from the guards, which today at times, numbered five.  In an instant, those waiting seem to descend all at once.  The more aggressive birds give chase and while they are gone, a quick glance at the feeders reveals other hummers have quietly slipped to the feeders to drink.

For more images and stories about this year's Ruby-throated hummingbirds, visit Delightful Hummingbird Fledglings, Hummer Smiles and Surprises, and Peak Hummingbird Viewing Days.  To read more about how banding hummingbirds is helping us to discover many new things about their migration, visit Hummingbird Banding.  You might also enjoy seeing my sketch of a Downy Woodpecker and a hummer at the feeder together.  They actually did drink from the feeder at the same time.

For more resources and information about hummingbirds, visit The Hummer/Bird Study Group.