FAQ - How can I estimate how many hummingbirds I have?

Q.  How can I estimate how many hummingbirds I feed each day?

A.  Hummingbird experts Nancy Newfield and Bob and Martha Sargent came up with a formula whereby you count the number of hummingbirds you see at one time at your feeders and multiply this number by six to determine how many birds are visiting your feeders. They arrived at this number based on years of banding and color-marking hummingbirds at feeders.

Although this is not strict science, it's fun to do the calculations!

Reprinted from the Summer 2006 edition of WBU BIRDTracks®

Let me know how many you have calculated in your yard!

Comments

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Erin, 6 at one time is great, especially with the banding estimate. They're so much fun to try to keep track of. Thanks for stopping in and commenting!

[Erin]

Wow. We've seen six at one time. Only three ever together on the feeder and even THAT only lasts until one of them flinches. :-D

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Tlwetter, what an amazing sight that must be. We in the east just don't ever see those kind of numbers...lucky you!!

[Tlwetter]

We live in San Diego County and have been feeding hummingbirds for over 30 years. 6 - 16 Clean, fresh feeders are available everyday with the maximum # of feeders available May-Sep. Fighting for the territory is only a rare occurrence nowadays and always short-lived. We have 32oz, 50oz and 72oz feeders and put out 3 - 4 gals of 4:1 sugar water every day on July and August. Figure we're feeding 500 or more hummingbirds when the whole crowd is here.

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Shannon, sounds like a busy yard you have there! Thanks for your visit to our blog.

[Shannon Chandler]

Thanks for the info. on the droppings. I do believe that it is only hummingbird droppings. The leaves are covered with white/clear substance where the feeders are placed. I have a video of our birds on my facebook page if you want to watch all of them. I take pictures of them all the time and video.We have finches also but they are away from the hummer feeders. I feed all kinds of wildlife. We have several deer/squirels/turkey/finch/hummingbirds/cardinals and the occasional bear or coyote. Happy Wildlife Watching Everyone.

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Shannon - that's a lot of hummingbirds!
As far as your droppings question: hummingbird droppings consist of a clearish urine that contains uric acid and some solids made up of undigested insect parts. I don't know what the concentration of uric acid is, but I think it would be hard to blame hummingbirds for ALL the droppings and foliage die-off. Hard to tell. Sorry I couldn't be of more help with that question.

[Shannon Chandler]

If the calculations you provide are true then we have around 72 birds that feed on our 3 feeders. I have always tried to count them, but it's hard. We fill all 3 feeders twice a day. Lots and lots of fun to watch. Thanks for the info. I also have a question, will hummingbird droppings kill plants and shrubs? I have noticed that a bush and a liliac bush have unusually started to loose leaves since the birds have decided to rest on them, and there is an unusual amount of droppings on them? Thanks for any info you can give me.

[The Zen Birdfeeder]

Ellen, we are seeing 3-4 taking each other on, but a max of 2 on one feeder at a time. Even that is rare!
Ruth, as mentioned, the hummingbird experts above used hummingbird banding to arrive at the estimate.

[Ruth]

Ok. That is interesting. It is an easy formula to follow. This is something I do wonder about.Thanks so much.How was this formula arrived out? Hopefully, you will do another post to explain a little.

[Ellen]

Interesting. But it's rare for more than one hummingbird to be at our feeder... the best-case scenario is to see one hummingbird dive-bomb another on the way there!