What can you do about territorial hummingbirds?

Territorial hummingbirds can be a nuisance for homeowners trying to enjoy their gardens and feeders. These tiny birds are fiercely protective of their food sources and will chase away other hummingbirds or dive bomb people who get too close to their territory. While their behavior is natural, there are some things you can do to reduce aggression from territorial hummingbirds.

Why are hummingbirds territorial?

Hummingbirds are territorial because they want to protect important food resources that will help them survive. This includes flower patches and nectar feeders. By keeping other hummingbirds away, they can ensure enough food for themselves. Males in particular can be aggressive as they try to attract females and mate with them. The more food resources a male can claim, the more attractive he appears to females.

A few key things lead to increased territorial behavior:

• Food scarcity – When flowers or feeders represent one of the only good food sources in an area, hummingbirds will fiercely guard it.
• Nesting – Females and males will defend the area around their nest from other hummingbirds.
• Migration – Native hummingbirds can be territorial toward migrant hummingbirds stopping to refuel in their habitat.
• Mating season – Males defend their food sources to look as desirable as possible to females.

Understanding why hummingbirds act territorial can help you implement solutions to reduce problematic aggression at your feeders.

How can you tell if a hummingbird is being territorial?

Here are some common signs that a hummingbird in your yard may be acting territorial:

• Diving at other hummingbirds – A dominant bird will aggressively chase or dive-bomb at other hummingbirds that approach.
• Perching nearby – The dominant bird will perch in a nearby tree or shrub and chase other birds that get close to the feeder.
• Making high-pitched vocalizations – An aggressive male defending a territory may make frequent squeaking or chirping sounds.
• Not feeding – The territorial bird spends more time chasing others than feeding itself.
• Guarding the feeder – The hummingbird may sit on or near the feeder and not allow other birds access.

If you notice one particular hummingbird is preventing others from feeding, or repeatedly diving at other hummers, it likely views your yard as its personal territory.

Why you should discourage territorial hummingbird behavior

While it’s natural for hummingbirds to be territorial, there are some good reasons to discourage excessively aggressive behavior if possible:

• Prevents other hummers from feeding – The territorial bird may scare away other hummingbirds from your feeder, preventing them from getting sufficient nutrition.
• Can interrupt the breeding season – Females can be prevented from feeding enough to produce eggs.
• Stresses other birds – Constant chasing and diving creates an stressful environment for other hummingbirds.
• May disrupt pollination – The hummers spend more time defending territories than gathering nectar from flowers.
• Can be aggressive to people – Territorial hummingbirds may fly at or dive bomb people near the feeder.

Creating an equitable and less hostile feeding environment supports the health and productivity of all the hummingbirds in your yard.

Tips to discourage hummingbird territorial behavior

Here are some tips to reduce aggressive guarding of your feeders:

1. Provide multiple feeders – Offer at least 1 feeder per 2 hummingbirds in your yard. Spread the feeders widely apart to distribute the birds.
2. Use feeding ports – Use feeders with multiple feeding ports or openings so more hummers can feed at once.
3. Alter feeding spots – Periodically move feeders to different hooks or shepherd’s crook poles around your yard.
4. Take down feeders briefly – Removing feeders for a couple days may disrupt territorial patterns.
5. Use a water spray – Carefully spraying water near aggressive birds may condition them to avoid that area.
6. Plant natural flowers – Provide additional nectar sources like Salvias, Penstemons, and Sages.
7. Avoid grouping feeders – Clustering feeders together can intensify competition. Space them at least 10 feet apart.
8. Clean feeders regularly – Keep sugar residue from building up by cleaning every 1-2 weeks.

Implementing some of these strategies can help create a more welcoming feeding environment. But realize that dominant hummingbirds may still guard feeders, especially if significant food scarcity exists.

When to remove problem hummingbirds

In most cases, the goal is to provide enough feeding opportunities that all hummingbirds can eat without excessive squabbles. But occasionally an individual bird may become too aggressive:

• Diving constantly at other birds or people
• Injuring or potentially killing other hummingbirds
• Not allowing any other birds to approach its feeder

If one particular hummingbird is causing serious issues, you may need to remove the problem bird. Start by taking down all feeders for 3-4 days so the aggressive hummingbird will hopefully move elsewhere. When you put feeders back up, place them in different spots than before to further disrupt territorial patterns.

If the problem bird returns and continues guarding the feeder, you may need to trap and relocate the hummingbird as a last resort. Special hummingbird traps allow you to safely catch the bird, which can then be transported and released at least 5 miles away.

Conclusion

Territorial hummingbirds are just trying to nourish and reproduce, although their aggression can occasionally go too far. Implementing some deterrents and being willing to relocate excessively problematic hummers can help provide a fair feeding environment. With some adjustments, you can enjoy observing hummingbirds coming and going from your feeders in peace.