Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Traplining in My Yard

Hummers feed by sight and will generally check out anything to see if it is a source of food. Many birds follow a regular route through their territory checking out the food sources. This behavior is called traplining. But judging from the activity on my porch all day every day, the only traplining these birds are doing is in my yard! This gaggle of eating machines has consumed 12 pounds of sugar in two weeks! This feeding is going on with rain coming down, so you have to listen carefully to hear them chittering at each other.

Hummingbird fact for today: Hummingbird nests are raided for eggs and chicks by snakes, large birds, and some mammals but adult hummingbirds are not regular prey. The most common danger is the family pet that gets lucky enough to ambush one.

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