Hummingbirds are some of the most fascinating birds in the world. Their incredible flying abilities, beautiful plumage, and unique feeding behaviors make them a joy to observe. One interesting aspect of hummingbird behavior is their mating habits. Hummingbirds have complex courtship displays and breeding strategies. Understanding how often hummingbirds mate each year provides insight into their reproductive biology.
Quick Answer
Most hummingbird species are polygynous, meaning males mate with multiple females each breeding season. However, each mating only produces one clutch of eggs. So while male hummingbirds may court and copulate with multiple mates, each female only breeds once per year.
How Many Broods Do Hummingbirds Have?
The vast majority of hummingbird species are univoltine, meaning they have only one brood per year. Here are some reasons why:
- Hummingbirds have high metabolic rates and high energy demands. It requires a lot of energy for a female to produce a clutch of eggs and raise the chicks. Doing this more than once a year would be metabolically taxing.
- Hummingbirds live in seasonal environments with fluctuations in food availability. There may not be enough resources to successfully raise multiple broods.
- They have small clutch sizes, often just 2 eggs. This limits their reproductive output in a single breeding attempt.
- Some hummingbird species migrate long distances. They are time-limited on when they can breed based on their migratory schedule.
- Most hummingbirds live solitary lives outside of breeding. Coming together with a mate more than once a year may be difficult logistically.
Raising a single brood each year allows hummingbirds to put all their energy into successfully fledging that clutch. However, having multiple mates in a season maximizes the male’s reproductive success.
Courtship and Mating
Most hummingbird species have a promiscuous mating system. The male will mate with any receptive female that enters his territory. The courtship display is his way of advertising to females that he has a nesting territory and resources. Here is how the mating process unfolds:
- Male attracts female with display flights and vocalizations.
- If receptive, female perches nearby and gives a copulation solicitation display.
- Male approaches female and mates with her very briefly (sometimes just a few seconds).
- Female leaves and builds her nest in a different territory from the male.
- Male continues displaying to mate with additional females throughout the breeding season.
This promiscuous system means that the female raises her young alone. The male provides his genes to fertilize her eggs but does not participate in choosing the nest site, building the nest, incubating the eggs, feeding the chicks, or any parental care.
How Many Females Do Male Hummingbirds Mate With?
Research shows male hummingbirds will mate with as many females as they can attract to their territory during a breeding season. For example:
- Male Allen’s hummingbirds may mate with 6-7 different females per season.
- Male rufous hummingbirds may mate with 8-10 different mates in a season.
- In one study of male broad-tailed hummingbirds, the average number of mates was 11 females.
- The record is a male magnificent hummingbird observed copulating with 23 different females one breeding season.
The number of mates a male can attract depends on his age, health, the quality of his habitat, and how long the female breeding period lasts each season.
Do Females Mate With Multiple Males?
While male hummingbirds are promiscuous, females are predominantly monandrous, meaning they mate with only one male during a breeding season. There are a few possible reasons for this:
- Females do not benefit reproductively from mating with multiple males. Male hummingbirds provide no parental care. The female gains nothing by having multiple partners.
- Mating is risky and uses energy because the female must make herself vulnerable during copulation. Choosing one partner reduces this cost.
- Females may avoid mating multiply to maintain cryptic plumage. Bright colors can attract predators during nesting.
- Additional mating may risk disease transmission or physical injury from males.
That said, some rare cases of polyandry (females mating multiply) in hummingbirds have been documented. Up to 15-20% of females may occasionally have a second mate.
How Many Times Do Hummingbirds Mate to Fertilize Eggs?
Female hummingbirds only need to mate one time with a male to fertilize an entire clutch of eggs. Here’s why:
- Females can store sperm inside their reproductive tract for weeks after mating.
- When her eggs mature, she can fertilize them with stored sperm without remating.
- Hummingbirds have small clutch sizes, usually just 2 eggs. This doesn’t require a lot of sperm.
- If the female does remate, it is primarily for the nutrients in the male’s seminal fluid, not to obtain more sperm.
In species where females occasionally take a second mate, the second male likely fathers some of the offspring. But generally one mating provides the female with enough sperm to fertilize her eggs for the season.
Do Hummingbirds Remate With the Same Partner?
Hummingbirds show no mate fidelity between breeding seasons. Males and females both seek new partners each year. Here are some reasons why:
- Most species separate and migrate between breeding seasons, making reuniting difficult.
- Females nest in different areas from their mate’s courtship territory, so they don’t stay in contact.
- Promiscuous mating means neither sex forms pair bonds or shows loyalty to previous mates.
- Nesting habitats and food resources may change between years. Better partners may be available.
- Renesting with a new mate allows both sexes to maximize reproductive success with fitter partners.
One exception is a few tropical species that breed year-round on non-migratory schedules. Some pairs of these species may reunite for subsequent nesting attempts within the same year.
Do Hummingbirds Have Lifelong Mates?
Hummingbirds are entirely polygamous. They do not form monogamous pair bonds that last for life. Every mating season, both males and females seek out new partners. This mating system makes long-term pair bonding impossible.
Polygamy allows both sexes to maximize reproductive success in a few key ways:
- Males can sire offspring with multiple females each season.
- Females can select the best male and habitat for each breeding attempt.
- Partners can be swapped each season to match optimal timing and condition.
- Healthy competition results in fitter offspring each breeding cycle.
While promiscuity prevents lifelong bonds, it is the best strategy given hummingbird’s biology and environments. The rarity of polyandry does suggest most females at least maintain seasonal monogamy, staying faithful to one male per clutch.
Do Mated Hummingbirds Interact After Breeding?
Hummingbird parents provide no care for eggs or offspring after mating. Their only interaction is the brief act of copulation. After mating, the male and female go their separate ways:
- Male remains in his courtship territory seeking other mates.
- Female travels to a different area to build her nest alone.
- Male does not participate in raising the young.
- Female cares for the eggs and subsequent chicks completely solo.
- Parents do not re-encounter one another after parting post-mating.
Promiscuity allows males to maximize mating opportunities while females can devote all their energy to raising offspring. Their roles do not necessitate any further contact after copulation.
Conclusion
Most hummingbird species follow a polygynous mating system in which males mate with multiple females but each female only nests once a season. Courtship and breeding occur rapidly, with no long-term bonding between mates. Females obtain enough sperm in one mating to fertilize their eggs, and they raise offspring without male assistance. Both sexes seek new partners each breeding season. This promiscuous approach maximizes reproductive success for hummingbirds within the limitations of their small size, high metabolism, and dynamic environments.
