Hummingbirds are fascinating creatures that exhibit unique behaviors when interacting with humans. Their small size and stunning iridescent plumage captivate people, making hummingbirds one of the most beloved backyard birds. Understanding how hummingbirds behave around humans can help us better attract them and meet their needs.
Do hummingbirds like people?
Yes, hummingbirds can become quite comfortable around humans, especially if positive interactions occur regularly. Hummingbirds have excellent memories and will remember kind people who put out feeders or have flowering gardens. They associate these locations and people with safety and food rewards.
With time and repeated exposure, hummingbirds may lose their natural fear of humans and even fly close to people. They are intelligent and can learn routines, like knowing when you typically refill a feeder or water bath. Some hummingbirds enjoy interacting with people and will put on dazzling aerial displays.
How do hummingbirds act around humans?
Hummingbird behaviors around humans include:
- Hovering closely around people
- Following humans as they walk or work in the yard
- Perching on hands, heads, shoulders, or other body parts
- Eating out of people’s hands
- Buzzing people’s heads
- Flying in circles around humans
- Chirping, squeaking, or other vocalizations
These behaviors indicate the birds are comfortable around people. It takes time and regular positive interactions before most hummingbirds exhibit extreme tameness. However, some young hummingbirds that have never encountered humans may display these behaviors from the start.
Why do hummingbirds come so close to humans?
There are several reasons why hummingbirds may overcome their natural wariness and come very close to humans:
- They associate humans with food sources like feeders and flowering plants.
- They are territorial and may investigate or attack perceived threats.
- They are curious about humans, especially brightly colored clothing and accessories.
- They seek protected perching locations and warmth from humans.
- They have lost fear through regular friendly interactions with humans.
Getting close to humans allows hummingbirds to efficiently access nectar sources. It also lets them observe potential dangers or study intriguing stimuli in their environment. A lack of fear enables them to satisfy their curiosity about humans.
Do hummingbirds bond with humans?
While hummingbirds do not form social bonds with humans in the same way as some mammals, there is evidence they form some level of attachment:
- They show preference for familiar caretakers by visiting them frequently.
- They may aggressively defend territory and food sources provided by specific humans.
- They display excitement through vocalizations and aerial displays when favored people appear.
- They will eat out of the hands of trusted individuals but avoid unfamiliar humans.
Since hummingbirds have excellent memories, they can recognize individual humans over many seasons. The most tame and friendly hummingbirds are ones who have months or years of positive interactions with a person.
Do male vs female hummingbirds behave differently with humans?
Males and females have some differing behavioral tendencies around humans:
- Males are more aggressive and territorial. They are more likely to chase or attack humans who approach a feeder or flowers.
- Females tend to be shyer and less domineering. They may observe humans from a distance.
- Males engage in more display behaviors to impress females and defend territories. Thus, males are more likely to perform elaborate flying patterns around humans.
- Females are busier nesting and feeding offspring. They make efficient use of feeders and may allow humans to approach more closely while feeding.
However, personalities vary considerably among individual hummingbirds. Some males are quite timid, while certain females become very territorial and aggressive around feeders. Female hummingbirds also display some aerial courtship rituals.
How close will hummingbirds fly to humans?
Hummingbirds are incredibly maneuverable flyers capable of precision hovering in place. They can and will fly remarkably close to humans under the right circumstances.
A tame, unafraid hummingbird may fly within inches of a person. Hummingbirds buzzing by heads or ears or even touching humans are not uncommon. This happens more frequently with familiar people the bird associates with food rewards or lack of danger.
Even aggressive male hummingbirds defending territories dive bomb perceived threats. They will fly extremely close while making loud warning sounds.
Curious young hummingbirds inspecting humans for the first time often approach closely. These extreme close encounters demonstrate the birds’ level of comfort and provide thrilling experiences for the people involved.
What do hummingbirds do when sitting on humans?
When hummingbirds perch on a human body, they exhibit several interesting behaviors:
- Preening – Using their beak to groom feathers, rearrange barbules, and scratch itches.
- Ruffling feathers – Fluffing up their plumage and rapidly fluttering feathers into proper position.
- Resting – Remaining still to conserve energy. Eyes may close briefly.
- Alert observation – Head on a swivel watching for any potential dangers, food sources, or competing hummingbirds.
- Cooing or squeaking vocalizations – Soft sounds directed toward the human perch.
- Eliminating waste – Yes, hummingbirds will poop on humans! Fortunately, their feces are tiny.
Hummingbirds gain benefits by using humans as temporary perches. It allows them to survey the habitat, rest, and access nearby food sources. Interacting peaceably on human perches further strengthens the bird’s bond and trust.
Will hummingbirds eat out of a person’s hand?
With time and effort, it is possible to hand feed hummingbirds. This takes extreme tameness and complete comfort with humans. The process involves these steps:
- Set up a feeder the birds regularly use so they associate you with a food source.
- Gradually move the feeder closer to where you sit until it is right next to you.
- Begin slowly moving your hand holding the feeder so they must feed around your hand.
- Once they are comfortable, gently introduce your empty hand while they are feeding. Do not move suddenly.
- Progress to holding your fingers with nectar/sugar water right next to the regular feeder for them to find.
- Finally, move to having the hummingbird feed from your palm, until eventually you can get them to hover at your fingertips.
This hand taming process can take weeks or months with the same individual hummingbirds. Go slowly to maintain their trust. Not all hummingbirds can be trained to this extent, as they have unique personalities.
Do hummingbirds remember people?
Research shows hummingbirds have excellent memories and recognize familiar humans. Specific examples of their memory include:
- Returning to the same feeders and flower gardens annually after migrating.
- Remembering where reliable food sources are located.
- Recognizing individuals who chased them or disrupted feeding.
- Responding with aggression toward humans perceived as threats.
- Coming quickly to trusted caretakers who routinely provide food.
Hummingbirds memories allow them to survive by avoiding dangers, locating key resources, and taking advantage of relationships with generous people. These small birds can remember humans for many years through distinctive sights, sounds, routines, and locations.
Do hummingbirds have favorites among humans?
Yes, hummingbirds often do prefer particular people who have consistently treated them kindly and provided nectar. Signs a hummingbird favors specific humans include:
- Getting excited and flying toward that person when they appear.
- Making chirping vocalizations to greet their special human.
- Feeding right next to the favored person and tolerating extremely close proximity.
- Chasing away other hummingbirds that approach that human.
- Perching on brims of hats worn daily by preferred people.
- Following closely and observing intently a treasured human’s activities.
Hummingbirds favor generous, patient people who allow them to feed and interact peaceably. They dislike humans who startle them suddenly or block access to flowers and feeders. Consistent positive experiences over time create human favorites.
How do hummingbirds show humans they are angry or upset?
Hummingbirds communicate anger and irritation through these behaviors:
- Aggressive chirping, squeaking, or clicking sounds directed at a person
- Diving and swooping at human heads or ears
- Buzzing right past humans at high speeds
- Guarding feeders or flowers and chasing people who get close
- Flaring tail feathers or exposing brightly colored throat feathers
- Rapid hovering in front of human faces
- Refusing to feed or flying away when particular people are near
Male hummingbirds are more aggressive and territorial. Females display anger mainly when defending nests or feeding young. Upset hummingbirds also communicate through posture and energy level changes detected by attentive humans.
Why do hummingbirds buzz or dive bomb humans?
There are several explanations for why a hummingbird might display dive bombing or buzzing behavior toward humans:
- Defending a food source – Males protect nectar feeders or flower patches from competing birds and humans.
- Protecting nests or young – Females keep dangers away from their eggs or chicks.
- Intimidating intruders – Humans near a nest or feeder may be dive bombed as a warning.
- Mistaken identity – People with brightly colored clothes or gear are sometimes mistaken for flowers or other birds.
- Curiosity – Young hummingbirds may buzz humans as they investigate these large, intriguing creatures.
Dive bombing is meant to startle and intimidate, though actual contact is rare. Understanding the cause can help people prevent and safely handle this aggressive behavior from hummingbirds.
Do hummingbirds have a good sense of hearing?
Hummingbirds have excellent hearing despite their small size. Features of their auditory system include:
- Specialized cochlea structure adapted for detecting high frequencies
- Enhanced ability to localize sound sources
- Hearing range similar to humans
- Eardrums located under feathers on their heads
- Keen detection of insect prey moving in vegetation
Their well-developed hearing supports key hummingbird behaviors. It helps them avoid predators, communicate with other birds, and home in on buzzing insects to eat. Hummingbirds learn to distinguish familiar human voices and sounds indicating food is available.
Do hummingbirds understand human speech?
Hummingbirds cannot comprehend human speech or language. However, they can associate certain sounds with positive outcomes. With time and repetition, hummingbirds learn to connect human vocalizations with events like these:
- A particular person’s voice with food appearing
- The sound of a nectar bottle being opened with availability of sugary liquid
- A human speaking softly with lack of danger
- Aggressive shouting with threatening behavior
- The rattle of a feeder being filled meaning fresh nectar
Through operant conditioning, hummingbirds identify and respond to auditory stimuli that benefit them. While they do not understand speech, familiar sounds signal safety, food, and other rewards.
Conclusion
In conclusion, hummingbirds exhibit many intriguing behaviors when interacting with humans. They display remarkable intelligence and memory, forming associations between individual people, voices, routines, and outcomes. With time and positive reinforcement, hummingbirds can become very comfortable around humans. Their tendency to closely investigate people provides many joyful moments for bird enthusiasts. Understanding why hummingbirds behave certain ways allows us to appreciate the beauty of these energetic creatures.
