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.

Delightful Hummingbird Fledglings

I've been having morning coffee on the patio with the hummingbirds just as often as possible.  The frequent thunder storms we've had lately have boosted nectar feeder activity even more.  This morning I saw two males drinking at one feeder at the same time.  A little later, a family with wing-twittering fledglings arrived.  It could be the same family that visited previously, but its impossible to know.  Either way, I'm happy!

It is apparent when a mom with fledglings arrives.  They drink together initially and she sets herself apart by vigorously challenging any other hummer that approaches while the youngsters drink.    

The normal vocals, buzzing and diving from the three males who've staked out the feeders quiets for a short while.      

It's as though the nectar feeders are momentarily off-limits, each of the males sitting motionless on their perches, accepting the family without interference.  Eventually Mom buzzes the youngsters.  Chirping, she fans her tail and hovers, as if to say, lets go.  They circle for an instant, then off they fly into the higher canopy.  Sigh.

One of nature's many smiles.    

For more hummer sketches visit my post on hummingbird banding and don't miss another fun surprise at the feeders!

Hummer Smiles and Surprises

It's easy to fall in love with hummingbirds, their fast-lane lifestyle, their intolerant response to each other, the occasional buzz you get when one decides to take a closer look at you.

Unfinished sketch of fledgling hummer watching its mother hunt in the leaves above--artist Vickie Henderson.

When you sit among them to watch and listen, you also discover surprises, like two males guarding separate feeders as though there is an invisible line between them.  Or when a third male comes along and perches within inches of one of these guards.  Believe it or not, they ignored each other.  The stand-off ended when the new-comer headed for the nectar feeder.

But the behavior that brought the most smiles on this day was the arrival of three 'white-throated', fan-tailed hummers moving in a fairy-like dance, resembling leaves caught in a mini whirl wind.  That's how I happened to notice the fledgling sketched above and its nest mate.  They swooped in on mom as she arrived, and circled her begging for food, an eye-catching sequence.

When I first saw the younger bird land, it became apparent this was a fledgling with fluffy, downy feathers in disarray, and frequent wing twittering and tail fanning to get mom's attention.   Below, you see both fledglings, the older at the lower left and the younger stretching his neck in the upper right.  Both are watching mom who is buzzing around overhead.  It's shady under there.  Click on the image to enlarge.

And below, my camera clicking caught the attention of the younger fledgling who was busily begging seconds earlier.  His wings are still raised.

As I watched them, I wondered at their vision and hearing, powers that enable them to recognize their mom among all other hummers.  And how can they possibly learn to feed themselves, catch on to the unforgiving social order of hummingbirds, and be ready for their migration journey in only a few short weeks?  But they can.  They've been doing it for centuries.

Unfinished sketch of fledgling with wings still unfolded after begging--artist Vickie Henderson.

I feel privileged to have witnessed all this activity, especially the female with her young.  And while our Ruby-throats are still moving through Tennessee, I'll spend as much time watching them as possible.  All of it will make me miss them even more as the days shorten and they steadily move southward to wintering grounds in Central America.

To see another illustration of a fun hummingbird interaction at my feeders, visit Tripling the Fun of Painting.  And for some interesting information about hummingbird migration, visit Banding Reveals Hummingbird Migration Surprises.  Also, be sure to visit my new page, Art Cards and Prints, where you'll find a collection of my recent bird sketches and paintings.

Linked to Bird Photography Weekly #103 at Birdfreak.com to promote the conservation of our world's birds.

Phoebe Allens--Incubating now!

Phoebe Allens is a female Allen's Hummingbird who lives in the Channel Islands, in Orange County, California. Her nest is located in a rose bush right next to a house and she is incubating two eggs that are expected to hatch any time now. You can see it happening right on your computer screen!Yesterday I was so taken with her--watching her wiggle to settle on the eggs, hearing her zip off for a few minutes at a time, seeing her constant vigilance, even her eye blink--that I sketched her while I watched. And I couldn't help but marvel at her life. I've known for a while that hummingbird females are the sole nest builder, incubator and caregiver of the young, but the impact of that knowledge is even greater when you see such a tiny bird actually in the midst of these labors. Yesterday I saw her bring materials to add to her nest on one of those quick flights away. And if the cam should be down, there are wonderful clips to watch, like Phoebe harrassing her juveniles of a previous year, trying to entice them to fledge. And another one that shows her laying an egg!

Phoebe's eggs are due to hatch anytime now. Historically they have begun hatching at day 17 and this is day 14. Don't miss seeing her upclose at: http://cam.dellwo.com/

She is a real treat!

Jan 20th update: Both of Phoebe's eggs hatched January 19th, one before daylight, the other later during a very stormy day. When you view the cam now, you get the added treat of seeing tiny newly hatched nestlings during the brief times she leaves the nest!

Banding Reveals Hummingbird Migration Surprises

"This male was wiggling and chirping. Helps to think he's cussing the bander instead of crying out from fright." Sketchbook note, 7-11-09, Vickie Henderson.It is easy to make this leap. Even Bob Sargent, a man who has dedicated his life to studying the tiniest of birds, refers to them as mean. In fact, he says, don't bother to space your feeders far apart to keep them from fighting. You can't stop them. Despite this characteristic, hummingbirds are among the most popular and beloved of birds.
Banding gives researchers many clues into the lives of these little birds. When the bird is captured the bander measures the wing, tail and beak and checks for beak grooving, molt, gorget feathers and fat. All these measures help determine the age and sex of the bird. Females, no matter what age, have a longer wing and beak. Young birds have some buffy edging to the feathering on the head and back and have grooving along the top of the beak that disappears as the bird ages. Young males usually have a couple of gorget feathers and some heavy throat streaking but not always. The most reliable characteristic is their shorter wing and beak. All this data gives researchers valuable information about the individual, as well as, the health and behavior of the species population, including where they nest and winter. The bulk of Ruby-throated hummingbirds have usually vacated the United States by November 1, but a few are seen as late as November 15 and some winter along the Gulf coast. But keep your nectar feeders up in the winter. While you are unlikely to get a Ruby-throated since they are not cold hardy, other species are. Anna's hummingbirds, typically found in Arizona and Texas have been recorded in Alabama and Tennessee during the winter; Broad-billed hummers native to Arizona has been banded in Alabama; the even more rare Buff-billed hummer has been found in Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina and North Carolina; and the Magnificent hummer has been recorded in Georgia and Alabama. In all, fourteen species have been documented in the eastern United states: Ruby-throated, Black-chinned, Rufous, Allen's, Broad-tailed, Anna's, Costa's, Calliope, Buff-bellied, White-eared, Green Violet-ear, Magnificent, Broad-billed and Green-breasted Mango.
If you see a hummer at your feeder after November 15th, it will likely be one of these unexpected species. In all states, you may call or email Bob and Martha Sargent:
Rubythroat(at)aol(dot)com or 205-681-2888. They will either come to your location to band and document the bird or send someone from your area. Find more information on hummingbirds and banding activities at Hummer Bird Study Group.
A special thanks to Mark Armstrong, Master Bird Bander and president of the Knoxville Chapter of the Tennessee Ornithological Society for the aging information provided in this post.