Hummingbirds are incredible creatures that capture the imagination. Their tiny size, dazzling iridescent feathers, and incredible flying abilities make them a delight to watch. But just how smart are these little birds? Specifically, can hummingbirds recognize and remember individual human faces? This is an intriguing question that scientists have been investigating.
Hummingbird basics
Before diving into hummingbird face recognition abilities, let’s cover some hummingbird basics. Hummingbirds are found only in the Americas. There are over 300 different species, the smallest measuring just 2 inches long and weighing less than a penny.
Hummingbirds have remarkably fast metabolisms to power their rapid wing beats and provide energy to hover and fly backwards and upside down. Their wings can beat up to 200 times per second. To fuel this, hummingbirds eat nectar and insects and consume more than their weight in food daily.
Because of their need for frequent feeding, hummingbirds are constantly visiting flowers. They have excellent memories when it comes to flower locations and can remember the location of good nectar sources. But do their memories extend to human faces?
Scientific studies on hummingbird face recognition
Several scientific studies have investigated the ability of hummingbirds to recognize human faces. Here are some of the key findings:
Study 1
In a 2010 study published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, researchers tested hummingbirds’ ability to learn and recall human identities. They had 6 male rufous hummingbirds interact with 18 different people. Each person would present a hummingbird with sugar water when they encountered it.
The researchers found the hummingbirds quickly learned to associate each person’s face with the reward of sugar water. When presented with pictures of the different individuals, the birds were able to distinguish between them 75% of the time.
This demonstrated hummingbirds have the cognitive capability for facial recognition and memory.
Study 2
A 2012 follow up study published in Current Biology built on the initial research. This time scientists had 16 hummingbirds interact repeatedly over a 10 day period with 4 different individuals. These were the hummingbirds’ primary feeders.
The birds were then shown photos pairing the feeders with unfamiliar faces. The hummingbirds were able to correctly choose the photo with the feeder face 97% of the time, indicating they recognized their frequent feeders.
Study 3
In 2019, researchers sought to learn more details about hummingbirds’ face recognition abilities. Published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the study examined whether hummingbirds rely more on facial pigmentation patterns or facial shape to identify people.
They had 6 hummingbirds interact with 2 sets of feeders. One group’s facial features were kept consistent but facial pigmentation patterns were changed. The other group had consistent pigmentation but facial shape was altered.
The results showed the hummingbirds were better at recognizing feeders based on facial shape rather than color patterns. This suggests they focus more on structural facial cues for identification.
Real world experiences with hummingbird face memory
The scientific research clearly demonstrates hummingbirds can recognize human faces. But what about the anecdotal experiences of people in their own backyards? Here are some firsthand stories of hummingbird face memory:
Story 1
Gardener James Marshall says a female Anna’s hummingbird repeatedly returns to his backyard flower garden in California every year. She allows him to hand feed her and even perches on his finger to drink nectar. James is convinced she remembers him personally from year to year based on her comfort and behavior with him compared to other people.
Story 2
Blogger Robin Ripley attracts various hummingbirds to her backyard garden in British Columbia. She reports developing a special bond and ability to handfeed a rufous hummingbird she named Scrappy. Scrappy appeared for 3 springs in a row and would come eagerly to Robin when called. Like James, Robin believes this shows Scrappy remembered her face over time.
Story 3
Retiree Miriam Jones provides a nectar feeder on her Arizona porch that draws hummingbirds. She says a Costa’s hummingbird named Ruby would watch her through the porch windows when the nectar ran out. If Miriam didn’t refill it quickly enough, Ruby would aggressively zoom around her head when she went outside, apparently scolding her for the lapse. Miriam interprets this as evidence Ruby knew and remembered her.
Factors that influence hummingbird face recognition
The personal stories match the scientific research indicating hummingbirds can identify individual human faces. But there are some factors that likely influence the degree of facial recognition:
Frequency of interactions
Hummingbirds appear to remember people they interact with repeatedly better than casual acquaintances. The more encounters, the stronger the facial memory associations become.
Distinctiveness of faces
Hummingbirds likely find more distinctive looking faces easier to recognize than average faces. Facial features that stand out make recollection easier.
Association with rewards
Linking a face with something rewarding like food or water seems to enhance a hummingbird’s ability to remember that person. The reward gives added incentive to recall the face.
Time span
As with people, hummingbirds can forget faces if enough time passes between encounters. Regular interactions help strengthen the neural pathways associated with facial memories.
Individual bird differences
Some hummingbirds seem more adept than others when it comes to remembering people. Factors like age, sex, species, and intelligence likely influence individual facial recognition variations.
Tips for getting a hummingbird to remember you
If you’d like to have a particular hummingbird remember and recognize you, here are some tips:
Create regular interaction
Spend time regularly interacting with and feeding the hummingbird so it sees your face often. The more encounters you can have, the better.
Offer sweet rewards
Offer nectar, sugar water, fruit, or other appealing foods when you interact with the hummingbird so it associates your face with a treat.
Talk gently
Speak gently to the hummingbird in an upbeat tone to reinforce positive emotions with your face.
Be patient
Give the hummingbird time to feel comfortable around you. With repeated exposure, it will become familiar with your face.
Eliminate outside disruptions
Avoid having other people around when you interact with the hummingbird so it can focus just on you. Too many faces may be confusing.
Conclusion
Research and personal accounts show that hummingbirds have the cognitive capacity for facial recognition and can remember human faces, especially of frequent feeders. Their memory appears strongest when encounters are repeated, rewarding, and distraction-free. With time and patience, you can become a familiar face to your backyard hummingbirds. If one seems to know you and respond positively when you appear, it likely does remember you!
