War of the Hummingbirds

[maguitacosmica]

'¿qué es esto?

[sikkinyx58]

lmao! Watch the bee/wasps. They can't hardly get past the flapping hummer wings bahhaha

[Dargonhuman]

We have a feeder like the third from the left (had one like the second from the left til it started leaking) on our back patio and those little critters can be absolutely vicious! I've almost had my face skewered several times when they chase each other away and right at my face!

[lovesvivienleigh]

Your video is so cool!!!  I loved it!

[mooredreadful]

I love the smell of nectar in the morning... it smells like victory.

[thecyberchuck]

myownlitlzoo-- The feeders were only that close for the making of the movie. Normally, i have 25-30 feeders spread out over 3 acres, but it makes no difference: All of 'em think they own every feeder, and if there's another ruby throat in sight, they'll stop feeding and start battling. It seems crazy, there's plenty of food for everybody, but they waste a lot of energy fighting for it.

[myownlitlzoo]

It's cruel to make these beautiful little birds have to fight for their energy drink! The feeders NEED to be at least 18 inches apart, for as you can see they are very terratorial. The sugar water gives them energy to zoom around and catch bugs for lunch and feed from flowers. It's like with holding coffee from the people working on Wall St. It's mean.

[catbirdfeeder]

great video with the contrasting light background against the hummers. I too have hundreds of hummers by the end of the season and will be eventually putting up around 40 feeders. The lil buggers keeps us hoppin dont they? I used to say..."dont fight over the feeder, I'll get you one, wrong! they just keep fighting anyway!

[Katsnake11]

Excellent video, great idea to play the CD in the background, and an excellent choice of music it was too!  Thanks!

[questionsleadtotruth]

Wonderful video. If they just didn't fight but simply sat at the feeder and ate, would there not be enough spce for all of them to feed? I find that funny.

[RandomVideosOnTheWay]

oh no the hornet come for revenge

[Kennedale01]

Nice! The music really adds that extra dimension. We're slowly adding feeders (just got a second one for the other side of the house), as well as growing hummer-friendly plants.

What would really be neat to see is a hummingbird version of "dance of the Christmas lights"...where sensors on feeder perches trigger colored LED lights in/on the feeders. The set-up (and battles) that you have would be very conducive for a spectactular light show.

[1BustedMyth]

My kind of War correspondence!

[thetwolosers10]

this is amazing! i was once at a butterfly museum and there were humming birds and one lade about 4 inches infront of me and he stared at me and then he took off but his wing lightly hit my hair and it was so amazing! i felt so touched:)

[busycrowstudio]

So Cute! I like the way the wall siding has horizontal lines; it reminds me of a sheet of music, and the little birds are the notes.....I saw one tiny little bee trying to get his share too! : )

[busycrowstudio]

So Cute! I like the way the wall siding has horizontal lines; it reminds me of a sheet of music, and the little birds are the notes.....I saw one tiny little bee trying to get his share too!

[nishbrown]

The crack-heads of the bird world.

:-)

[b1aflatoxin]

"Avian violence" thats great.

Silly little guys, they have more than enough space for everyone, yet they're all living for the moment and being selfish. ...Well, kinda like people!!!

They're anthropomorphizing themselves!!!! RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN!!!

Any hoo, I love this video, and I thank you for sharing it.

Truly amazing and beautiful.

-b- KCMO

[DBMEYER2]

Fantasic!!! Love the hummers and you have a great imagination.

[TheCinderella29]

I love hummingbirds...

[jrkelm]

Great video. The feeder placement and the background suggested musical notes and staff!

[NoobiiPower]

14 humming birds and a bee.

[osprey02]

IF YOU READ THE PETERSONS GUIDE TO THE BIRDS,PUGNATIOUS IS THE WORD THEY USE FOR HUMMINGBIRDS.GREAT VIDEO,LOVED IT

[lycanthrope1980]

Wow, what an awesome video! Must have been a cool sight to behold. :>

[abbybelknap]

There is a hummingbird moth fighting with them?? no maybe just a bee

[MPSecare]

is that real?

[Babaziba]

LOL! Perfect music too. Nice.

[TreesOfBaylor]

I think the bee got the most feeding time

[robert1352]

How do you attract so many?? I can never attract more that one or two at the most.

[mig15fan]

great footage,background enhaces observation of HB movement,thxs for psting

[cchanderson]

Wow great quality!! thks...i can actually see their wings in this one!

[KilleonWolf]

Lol! They're so intent on fighting each other off they hardly get to feed for more then 3 seconds! XD

[thecyberchuck]

Yeah, it's amazing. It looks like they spend more energy fighting than they get from feeding.

[Anjelikka]

that is very cool

[thecyberchuck]

Thanks! Glad you liked it.

[Kohakukun19]

Damn! I was going to do this with the same song, only using just one feeder. the humming birds at my place actually spear each other and shit. it's crazy

[thecyberchuck]

Hey man, it's not like I have a patent on it or anything, go ahead and shoot your video and post it! Let me know when it's up. YouTube's always got room for another video.

[thecyberchuck]

Thanks! "Ride of the Valkyries" just seemed like a natural fit. And no, the chirpings are not in the recorded music. I played the music on a CD player and the camera made a live recording of the music and the chirpings. Did you catch the bird call at the very instant the video starts? It's not a hummingbird, it's a red-shouldered hawk who happened to call just as I hit the "Record" button.

[jazevox]

the music works really well with the bunch of hummingbirds but its nice to still hear their chirpings, or is it part of the music?

[thecyberchuck]

The chirping is part of the music. I was just playing the music CD in the background, and the camcorder captured the music and the chirps. If you listen at the exact second the video starts, you can hear a red-shouldered hawk calling in the distance to start the film off. Couldn't of planned that if I tried!

[calebiskkkool]

the music is tottally apropriate!

[thecyberchuck]

Thanks! When I watched them battling out there on the deck, that just seemed like the perfect musical accompaniment.

[thecyberchuck]

Don't know about that "more than 6...". At my house, they're just never good at sharing, whether it's two or twenty or whether the feeders are right next to each other or 30 yards away. But somehow, they all get something to drink.

[ronsig]

I was told that hummingbirds don't fight if there are more than 6 at a feeder.

I love your videos!!!

You have many different feeders. Do you find there is one style that they prefer?

[thecyberchuck]

You're right, I have tried many different feeders over the years. If you just want something decorative, anything will do, but many of those are fragile and hard to clean. For a high-capacity, functional feeder, I recommend the Perky Pet model 209 "Our Best." They're simple, last forever and easy to clean. And they're not ugly like some other large feeders.

[chryl926]

Thanks for sharing this! Very enjoyable, especially the chirping. You have inspired me to put out an additional feeder (with a bit of distance between them)

[Tiels40]

I agree....Although beautiful to look at when they're not fighting...but I would space the feeders out so there isn't that much stress for the birds to get their food. I have 6 feeders placed at least 10 ft. apart. You'll have a much happier environment.

[cyberchucker]

Thanks! The feeders were only clustered for 20 minutes for the video. At migrations peak, I have over 25 feeders spread over the couple acres nearest our house. Before migration, theres no competition. At peak migration, we get battles at feeders 25 yards apart. Ive got to admit that I dont understand it—we have friends 50 miles from here who hang two 6-port feeders less than 10 apart. They get 4-6 hummers feeding at the same time with no fighting. I dont know what makes the difference.

[vetworker3]

You have outdone yourself my friend. This is just beyond amazing!!!! I am sending this to my entire e-mail listing!!!!

[cyberchucker]

Thanks much for the fan mail, I really appreciate it. I have plans for an even better hummingbird video, but won't be able to film it till next fall when they migrate through again. Mark your calendar to check back in October!

[gene2155]

You're right. These guys are fighters!

[SKOSHI7]

Ive tried this but i have this one humming bird that wont let the others anywhere near the feeders. So ive got five feeders for 1 bird and a couple hunderd bees :(

[thecyberchuck]

If you have one hummer who's completely preventing several others from feeding, I'd suggest separating the feeders farther apart. Either place some feeders 20 or more yards apart, or put some feeders on different sides of the house. That way, the bossy one may monopolize one feeder, but he can't guard them all. Hope that helps!

[SKOSHI7]

Thanks ill try that.

[Benedikt911]

sounds good, will let you know! thanks!

[estabon24]

they just keep coming hahah

[GetMeThere1]

I wonder if they also love the smell of napalm in the morning??

[thecyberchuck]

Good one! I scratched my head over that for a couple days, but finally got it. I guess I need to go back and watch old movies more often.

[GetMeThere1]

Yes. I guess The Ride of the Valkyries has been around much longer than Apocalypse Now, but it was certainly a very famous scene, nonetheless--and a very famous movie line...

[sorell30]

the music was great with the video

[ReuWil]

Music really fits with the scene - well done!

[djstamper1]

Very cool. Thank you.

Deb

[10J10J10J]

I find it cool to put a hummingbird feeder next to a window that's close to a tree. That way you can see them sit on a branch and it's pretty neat.

[Blu222iam]

wow!! :)

[meawela]

LMAO! OMG...Great!

[chrisbeeton]

More may not be merrier ... it's Histerical :D I Love these feathered jewels. Thank You for sharing. I have been inspired to fill my humingbird feeder. :D

[ignoblius]

It never seems to dawn on them that there's plenty to go around.

[dbbubba]

Rolf! ;)

[atester42]

1. Find place to feed.

2. Try to feed.

3. Prevent others from feeding.

4. Repeat.

[Poodlepups]

(3) takes precedence over (2)! ignoblius is right, they can't figure out the concept of "plenty"

[GGEgeorgia]

This is great. Lucky you.

[Joebert1212]

Really great with the music.

[wilkesa]

awesome!

[greenguy878]

like lots of other stuff, he who hesitates is lost. cool music!

[wolfie1963ga]

Unknown to most viewers is that what's actually happening in this video is that the adult hummingbirds are playing a game of "Which of these feeders is just like another" with their "little ones". Charming!

[flowergirl2222]

Feisty little creatures, aren't they? Thanks for sharing and adding that stirring music.

[karloff421]

More is not always merrier.

[pennymiller9753]

they are soooooooooo cute!

[cooperspooky]

wow. I'd like to see that in slow motion.

[BeechSundowner]

.<b>love the music!

[charlottetuber]

I hope they all got something to eat at the end of the war.

[ericw987654]

Pretty exciting! Did any of them die in the battle?

[neworleansgail]

your vinyl siding is dirty

[shmoopy1971]

Wagnerian drama right in your backyard! I wonder why none of them visit the feeder in the middle. Maybe competing is part of the fun.

[trixievine]

Awesome choreography CyberChuck. How long did it take to train those hummers? I also like the way the feeders look like notes on a scale. A great show on so many levels. Little Sis.

[Cap4mor]

Hot damn, TheCyberChuck! That's the awesomest multi-feeder hummingbird video I've ever seen on YouTube in all my life. Have you thought about making a full-length feature film? P.S. What's that very familiar music?

Tractor lesson, please!

[bobsmith55555]

why can't those guys just get along? it looks like there's plenty of food for all. c'mon guys, share!

[suzieqqqq]

Really cool video of the feeding frenzy, and the music is awesome! Did you arrange the feeders to look like notes on a scale, or was that an accident?