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Sat, Jun 23, 07 at 13:41
| Hi everyone,
DH just ran to me and said "something's wrong at the hummer feeder". He made it sound like one of the males was caught. I went out and it was hanging lifeless upside down, but flew away when I approached. I've read about torpor being a way to conserve energy during bad weather, but today is rainy and about 65 degrees. Are there other reasons for torpor? Gosh, I wished I'd taken a picture before I ran up to it! DH said that another male was pecking on it, but that was probably just a territorial thing when one male found another male just hanging there. |
Follow-Up Postings:
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| It is a bit odd to see that I think especially in summer, but whos knows. Not nice that another bird was pecking though. What time of day did you see this? What was the overnight temperature? |
Here is a link that might be useful: Hummingbird Torpor
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- Posted by catherinet z5 (My Page) on Sat, Jun 23, 07 at 15:56
| Hi CT........It was about noon and the temp was about 65 degrees. Maybe he was just bored and trying something new?? haha There was a long discussion about it once on the birdwatching forum, but I forget what was said and its not there any more. The overnight temperature last night was probably 65-70. |
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| They have an energy reserve and like gas in your car when you run out you run out. But, the bird was hanging at the feeder so why didn't it recharge? Maybe he was raised by bats;-) |
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- Posted by catherinet z5 (My Page) on Sat, Jun 23, 07 at 16:07
| Okay......I just saw something else. Maybe this is what happened when DH saw it and he wasn't as perceptive ;). I saw a small female sitting on the feeder for awhile. Then a male came and flew around and then landedon and drank from the feeder. Then the female turned sort of on her back, and the male appeared to feed her. He did this several times. Is it possible that young hummers don't know how to eat yet, and even though it was sitting on the feeder, it still needed a parent to feed it? |
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| Most young birds follow their parents to the feeders. Right now I have young Blue Jays, Grackles, and Cardinals, most as big as their parents, and still begging to be fed like babies. It is probably is a toddler hummer! |
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| Congratulations - sounds like you've got a baby!! If they are like other young birds, they still ask Mom and Dad for a feeding even after they are capable of finding food themselves. After awhile, the parents ignore them although some younguns are very persistent about wanting to be fed. |
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| Catherine, what an awesome experience! I'm very glad the little "guy" is ok, too. I saw a goldfinch do that one day on their feeder, but it was hanging upside down and feeding from the next hole below it. LOL It kept doing it, so I got a pic, but it wasn't very clear. Congrats on the babies!!! Brenda |
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