Do hummingbirds travel in twos?

Hummingbirds are some of the most fascinating birds in the world. Their rapid wing beats, hovering flight capabilities, and dazzling iridescent plumage make them a joy to observe. One interesting aspect of hummingbird behavior is whether or not they travel in pairs or groups.

Quick Answers

In general, hummingbirds do not travel in twos or groups. They are solitary birds that typically live and fly alone. However, there are some exceptions when hummingbirds may be seen in pairs or small groups temporarily:

• During the breeding season, male and female hummingbirds may be seen together during courtship and mating
• A female hummingbird may be seen briefly with its offspring after the chicks hatch
• Hummingbirds may gather in large numbers at food sources during migration or in wintering grounds

But these associations are usually temporary. Hummingbirds are fiercely territorial and will defend their favored nectar sources and nesting sites. Additionally, they do not need to fly in pairs or groups for safety or migration like other bird species. So while fleeting exceptions occur, it is accurate to say hummingbirds primarily fly solo.

Hummingbird Territorial Behavior

One of the main reasons hummingbirds are solitary creatures is due to their highly territorial nature. Hummingbirds aggressively defend small territories containing nectar sources, feeding areas, nesting sites, and perching locations. They do not like to share space or food sources with other hummingbirds.

Male hummingbirds are especially territorial. They establish breeding territories in the spring and aggressively fend off other males through aerial battles and dive displays. Females also defend nesting sites but are less aggressive than males. This territorial behavior essentially prevents hummingbirds from forming flocks or traveling in pairs over long periods.

Here are some examples of typical hummingbird territorial behavior:

• Chasing intruders out of their territory
• Fighting other hummingbirds by jabbing with their beaks and scratching with their feet
• Producing aggressive chattering and trilling vocalizations
• Establishing aerial dive displays and flight patterns to intimidate intruders
• Return rapidly to their territory after being away to keep ownership

In addition to aggressive behaviors, hummingbirds also mark their territories with visual and vocal cues. For example, male Anna’s hummingbirds perform dramatic aerial dive displays during the breeding season. Dive displays occur when males ascend approximately 100 feet into the air and then swoop steeply downward past a perched female, producing a loud chirping sound with their tail feathers. This audible display announces the male’s territory ownership. Females may also vocalize to claim nesting sites.

Food Resource Defense

Another reason hummingbirds remain solitary is they do not need to share food resources to survive. Hummingbirds have very high metabolisms and must consume a lot of energy in the form of nectar and small insects. They visit 1,000 to 2,000 flowers per day and eat roughly half their weight in nectar.

Because they depend on finding adequate food supplies daily, hummingbirds are highly motivated to defend concentrated nectar sources against other birds. This includes popular garden flowers and artificial nectar feeders provided by homeowners. Hummingbirds will aggressively chase away other birds, as well as intruding hummingbirds, that approach their preferred feeding areas. They do not like sharing and will often wait on nearby perches until an occupied feeder is vacant.

Some examples of how hummingbirds defend critical food resources:

• Establishing regular feeding routes between favored nectar sources
• Kicking and jabbing with their beaks if another bird gets close to a flower or feeder
• Emitting humming and squeaking vocalizations as warnings
• Waiting close by for occupied feeders to become available
• Chasing other hummingbirds away from precious nectar supplies

Their small size and high energy needs make hummingbirds very protective of reliable food sources. This behavior essentially eliminates any benefit from traveling or foraging in groups. Hummingbirds do not want to share precious calories!

Lack of Migration Flocking

Many bird species migrate and travel together in flocks for safety, navigation, and energy efficiency. Hummingbirds do not need these benefits when migrating so they typically fly alone between seasonal ranges. A few reasons why hummingbirds migrate solo:

• They are not vulnerable to the same predators as songbirds, waterfowl, and shorebirds
• Their superior flight skills and maneuverability enable them to navigate without assistance
• They have enough energy reserves to travel without trading off flying leads

Hummingbirds make incredibly long migrations relative to their small size. For example, ruby-throated hummingbirds fly nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico, a 500 mile journey. They are able to accomplish this feat by entering a state of torpor that reduces their energy requirements. While torpid, they drop their body temperature and heart rate dramatically so they can burn stored fat at a slower rate. This allows them to fly for extreme distances without relying on other birds.

Here are some more details on why hummingbirds do not need to flock together during migration:

Lack of Predation

Many small bird species are vulnerable to predators during migration, especially peregrine falcons and other raptors that target flocks. But hummingbirds move too fast and erratically to be an appealing prey choice for most birds of prey. Their excellent flying skills and maneuverability give them an advantage avoiding mid-air threats. So they do not benefit from the protection-in-numbers a migrating flock provides.

Strong Navigation Abilities

Hummingbirds appear to have an impressive innate sense of direction and navigation ability. They routinely migrate long distances between seasonal ranges, returning to the same nesting sites and feeding locations annually. And they perform these feats completely solo without relying on guidance from other birds. Their navigation likely involves a combination of visual cues, geomagnetic senses, and mental mapping ability.

Sufficient Fuel Reserves

Many small migratory songbirds conserve energy by trading off flying leads in a staggered V formation. This allows them to capitalize on uplift from the wing vortices of birds in front and reduce drag. But hummingbirds have enough energy reserves in the form of fat stores to fly continuously without this drafting benefit. During migration, they can build fat reserves equal to about 25–30% of their body weight. This provides sufficient fuel for long flights between stopovers.

Exceptions When Hummingbirds Congregate

While hummingbirds are primarily solitary, there are some temporary situations when they may gather in groups or fly in pairs:

Courtship and Breeding

During the breeding season, male and female hummingbirds may be seen together when mating. This includes courtship displays, such as males performing aerial shows and elaborate dives to impress females. Hummingbird courtship rituals also involve flying rapidly around a perched female.

Once mating occurs, the male and female will have minimal interactions defending their own separate territories. But courtship is one situation where paired hummingbirds briefly tolerate each other and even interact socially.

Mother With Offspring

Female hummingbirds are solely responsible for building nests, incubating eggs, and raising chicks without male assistance. For a brief period after eggs hatch, a female may be seen with her offspring as she cares for the chicks in the nest. She will also continue visiting the nest to feed the fledglings once they leave.

But this mother-offspring group does not last more than a few weeks before the chicks leave the nest and disperse. Once the breeding cycle is complete, the female returns to a solitary life.

Feeding Swarms

One situation where numerous hummingbirds may aggregate is at food sources during migration or in wintering grounds. When flowers or artificial feeders provide a superabundant supply of nectar, hummingbirds are more tolerant of crowding.

For example, clusters of Rivoli’s hummingbirds may swarm nectar feeders in Tucson, Arizona for brief periods from November to April. And hummingbird “mobs” containing hundreds or thousands of tiny Allen’s and rufous hummingbirds can form during fall migration in California. But these feeding assemblages are temporary and disperse once the abundant food source declines.

Here are some examples of situations where large numbers of hummingbirds may aggregate:

• Backyard nectar feeders in migration corridors or winter habitat
• Mass flowering events like blooming century plants and agaves
• Trees like eucalyptus that produce abundant nectar flows

In these cases, the benefit of accessing a huge nectar source temporarily overrides hummingbirds’ territorial behavior. But once the food bonanza ends, they quickly go their solitary ways again.

Nighttime Roosting

Hummingbirds also exhibit some minimal flocking behavior when settling down to roost for the night. In areas where multiple hummingbirds gather, they may select the same protected roosting sites. These nighttime roosts provide safety from predators and exposure while the birds rest in a torpid state.

Some preferred roosting locations include trees, dense shrubs, cavities, and thick vines. Up to a dozen or more hummingbirds may occupy a shared roosting area overnight. But they disperse to their own solitary territories again at dawn.

Conclusion

In summary, the evidence indicates that hummingbirds overwhelmingly spend their time alone and do not regularly travel in pairs or groups. Their territorial behavior, lack of migration flocking habits, and sufficient food resources allow hummingbirds to primarily fly solo. However, there are some temporary exceptions when they briefly congregate for courtship, while raising offspring, during migratory feeding swarms, or when sharing night roosts. But these associations are fleeting and hummingbirds ultimately prefer their solitary lifestyles.

So while fascinating exceptions exist, the overwhelming fact remains that hummingbirds are primarily lone wolves of the bird world. These captivating creatures prefer flying, feeding, and migrating through life untethered to other birds.