The Hummingbird Feeder, but not only for Hummingbirds

The Hummingbird Feeder,

but not only for Hummingbirds

Last year in July, I wrote a post about “Two surprises in front of my nose” about an elderberry bush and a downy woodpecker visiting our hummingbird feeder, and enjoying the nectar that was prepared for hummingbirds. (www.countryforcity.com/blog.html).

We have been in the country for many years and have never seen this.  Last year a downy woodpecker learned to use our hummingbird feeder and came back many times, and might have also brought it’s offspring. Who knows? We were puzzled by how it came to be that the woodpecker would learn to use its long tongue to get to the sugary mix, but then we saw that ants had managed to find the feeder and were entering the feeder holes and many of them were drowning in the base. It is possible that the woodpecker had followed the line of ants and discovered them trapped inside the base.

Baltimore Oriole

This year two male hummingbirds showed up in early May - like clockwork, and a week later two females arrived. I was waiting to see whether last year’s woodpecker would join them sooner or later. Indeed a downy woodpecker did show up- probably the same one as last year, and went right back to the feeder, which had not yet been found by ants. But I had other surprises waiting for me.
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First, shortly after the downy made his return visit, a Baltimore Oriole appeared and sat for a long time on the perch and then he went with his beak into the opening to drink, and I saw him swallowing. He went from hole to hole before he left. An hour later he returned, but not only by himself, he was joined by two more. The perch got really crowded. One of the male hummingbirds was a bit irritated and attempted to buzz bomb the assembling orioles on the feeder, but he remembered that we have another feeder on the other side of the house. So all was good.

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Flicker

After the Orioles we had another guest, a Flicker. For him the perch was a challenge as he was too large to balance upright on the base and he left after a few attempts. But he returned and managed to find a way to hang upside down on the base and crane his head and neck up into the feeder holes. And then something amazing happened which showed me that birds watch and learn from each other, even across species!

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Within the day, we had Rose Breasted Grosbeaks, an Eastern Phoebe, assorted sparrows and finches, and other birds I did not identify, all making a try at getting to the nectar. The grosbeaks, of course, were not successful due to their big, thick beaks, but at least he did not want to miss an opportunity. Most of the other birds with short beaks and tongues gave up rather quickly. But the cross-species observations and learning was clearly apparent!

In the several decades of putting out hummingbird feeders here, we had never seen any other birds attempt to feed from them. We already knew that all the surrounding birds were watching and listening to each other. Each day, when I go out to fill the feeders, a rippling chorus of feeding calls- usually initiated by the chickadees, radiates out from the house from all the different species, announcing that dinner is being served. So it is obvious that they are not only listening to and understanding the meanings of other species' calls, but also that they are watching and learning from each others’ behaviors. This is now thought of amongst scientists as ‘culturally’ learned behavior, and has been observed all across the animal kingdom, from tool use in birds and chimpanzees, to diverse hunting strategies in killer whales (orcas).

In the  meantime I have found out that hummingbirds are not the only ones that thrive on nectar. Many other birds have a sweet tooth and will happily visit nectar feeders. Nectar provides an exceptional energy source to fuel the bird’s active lifestyles. This is easy food, and many birds will sample nectar from an available feeder, even if they don’t typically rely on nectar for a large portion of their diet. A popular hummingbird feeder will catch the attention of other birds, and they may perch on the feeder or investigate feeding ports out of curiosity. Although we had never observed it, it is apparently quite common.

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Insects that sip on the nectar may also attract birds that pluck morsels off the feeder, even though the birds are not interested in the nectar itself. It might be that they are after the ants that are trying to get into the feeder.

Here is a list of birds that are regularly seen at nectar feeders:
Chickadees, Goldfinches, House Finches, Orioles, Warblers, Woodpeckers.

And here is another list of wildlife that may also be seen at nectar feeders:
Bats, Bears, Butterflies, Insects, Lizards, Moths, Raccoons, Squirrels.

If you just want the hummingbirds and keep the other birds and stray critters away, just hang the feeder high and buy one without a perch. That keeps at least the big birds out.  

There are feeders especially for bigger birds with wide perches. There is also a special nectar available for Orioles. The woodpeckers will of course be very happy with suet. 

     What an exciting world in front of my window!

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                               Hummingbirds "dancing" around the feeder!