All the sugar water you can drink!
January 19, 2021 7:25 AM Subscribe
Want to just sit back and watch some birds? Enjoy Carole's Hummingbird Feeder Cam, live from Studio City, California.
I love watching bird feeder livestreams.
I check Panama Fruit Feeder Cam so often I bought the Birds of Panama field guide to help me identify things.
posted by mcstayinskool at 7:41 AM on January 19, 2021 [4 favorites]
I check Panama Fruit Feeder Cam so often I bought the Birds of Panama field guide to help me identify things.
posted by mcstayinskool at 7:41 AM on January 19, 2021 [4 favorites]
I watched this feeder cam video from Costa Rica last night. So many interesting birds!
posted by Ansible at 7:57 AM on January 19, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by Ansible at 7:57 AM on January 19, 2021 [4 favorites]
We see hummingbirds in the city of Chicago these days. I see them in my yard once in a while, and my folks have a feeder set up where you can watch them regularly. Yes, they get really vicious with each other over prime feeding spots. Fascinating animals.
posted by SoberHighland at 8:02 AM on January 19, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by SoberHighland at 8:02 AM on January 19, 2021 [1 favorite]
The true wonder of that cam is that the hummingbirds don’t fight. It’s possible that California hummingbirds are more chill than New England ones, but they aren’t that chill.
posted by Going To Maine at 8:04 AM on January 19, 2021
posted by Going To Maine at 8:04 AM on January 19, 2021
No, they fight; my back yard is a tiny bird soap opera most of the year. My understanding, from my favorite hummingbird + container gardening youtube channel (also in the LA area), is that they won't fight if you've got enough feeders out (and over time they never all go dry) that they stop being concerned about scarcity. This year I'm going to try a big cluster of feeders like that and see what happens.
posted by Lyn Never at 8:18 AM on January 19, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by Lyn Never at 8:18 AM on January 19, 2021 [3 favorites]
I love the little perch swings! But I am not seeing a purely peaceful feeding. I could never get two hummingbirds to eat at the same feeder, so this set-up is working well. CA gets a much better variety of hummingbirds too.
I put up one hummingbird feeder over the summer because I didn't really know what I was doing. I'm already planning for multiple feeders and plants, and I will get them out in time to catch the males feeding. In Pennsylvania, I only see ruby-throated hummingbirds, and by midsummer, most of the males have already taken off.
posted by gladly at 8:22 AM on January 19, 2021
I put up one hummingbird feeder over the summer because I didn't really know what I was doing. I'm already planning for multiple feeders and plants, and I will get them out in time to catch the males feeding. In Pennsylvania, I only see ruby-throated hummingbirds, and by midsummer, most of the males have already taken off.
posted by gladly at 8:22 AM on January 19, 2021
Cornell's Ornithology Lab has a channel that streams its feeders from various locales. This is our go-to for cat tv. The cat loves it, and will softy bat at the birds on the screen (but just the little ones. She goes after chickadees, not blue jays). Being on lockdown and being in the city really limits our ability to see bird (though we did spy a falcon the other day on someone's tv aerial).
It's also fun to catch streams from around the world based on the time - late last night here in EST I put on a feed that showed all the birds coming in for their early morning meal in Petroria, SA.
posted by thecjm at 8:39 AM on January 19, 2021 [3 favorites]
It's also fun to catch streams from around the world based on the time - late last night here in EST I put on a feed that showed all the birds coming in for their early morning meal in Petroria, SA.
posted by thecjm at 8:39 AM on January 19, 2021 [3 favorites]
They're calmer than the hummingbirds I see in the New England summers (at my single feed), but I wouldn't describe them as completely chill. In other words, their attitude seems to be "I've got my eye on you, fucker" rather than "[berserker scream of rage]". The chittering sounds you hear, I suspect, are attempts to intimidate other hummingbirds attempts rather than calm disquisitions on the arts.
posted by Johnny Assay at 8:40 AM on January 19, 2021
posted by Johnny Assay at 8:40 AM on January 19, 2021
Ruby throats are super territorial—echoing the above, we have to keep our three feeders well separated and out of sight of each other here in Finger Lakes country.
Hummingbird dogfights are shocking. Unlike the placid creatures in the cam, our birds are aggressive, buzzing, nuclear-powered precious gems that and spin and collide with loud squeaks in the air. I’ve yet to see two share a feeder.
posted by kinnakeet at 8:43 AM on January 19, 2021 [2 favorites]
Hummingbird dogfights are shocking. Unlike the placid creatures in the cam, our birds are aggressive, buzzing, nuclear-powered precious gems that and spin and collide with loud squeaks in the air. I’ve yet to see two share a feeder.
posted by kinnakeet at 8:43 AM on January 19, 2021 [2 favorites]
Don't the hummingbirds know all that sugarwater is no good for their teeth?
posted by Kyol at 8:44 AM on January 19, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Kyol at 8:44 AM on January 19, 2021 [1 favorite]
My mom in San Diego has a hummingbird feeder and it is crazy with hummingbirds.
What I often forget, especially when I have been in the US with friends from Europe is that hummingbirds are only found in the Americas. To someone who has never seen them live before they are magic creatures, tiny, like little reflecting jewels that also hang in mid-air. I've had more than one friend just stand there awe-struck.
posted by vacapinta at 8:56 AM on January 19, 2021 [6 favorites]
What I often forget, especially when I have been in the US with friends from Europe is that hummingbirds are only found in the Americas. To someone who has never seen them live before they are magic creatures, tiny, like little reflecting jewels that also hang in mid-air. I've had more than one friend just stand there awe-struck.
posted by vacapinta at 8:56 AM on January 19, 2021 [6 favorites]
Even as someone who sees them on a daily basis (there's an active window feeder about four feet from my face as I type this), hummingbirds are magical creatures. I'm always amazed at how bold they are, and how loud their little wings can be - I love that I can tell when one is approaching the feeder even without looking up from my desk.
And yay to animal webcams in general - my work provided me a huge second monitor for my distance learning home setup, and any time I'm not leading a lesson or observing in classrooms I've got it tuned to the Cornell feeder cam. As an east coaster currently living in Oregon it's a real treat to see cardinals and blue jays again!
posted by DingoMutt at 9:11 AM on January 19, 2021 [3 favorites]
And yay to animal webcams in general - my work provided me a huge second monitor for my distance learning home setup, and any time I'm not leading a lesson or observing in classrooms I've got it tuned to the Cornell feeder cam. As an east coaster currently living in Oregon it's a real treat to see cardinals and blue jays again!
posted by DingoMutt at 9:11 AM on January 19, 2021 [3 favorites]
What, nothing about what gluttons hummers are? I was keeping a feeder going for awhile last year and those pigs would go through a gallon of sugar water every week if I felt like cooking it up, plus refilling the feeder every day and a half. I'm a birb-liker too, so it's a tough position.
The only bird that can fly backwards!
posted by rhizome at 9:17 AM on January 19, 2021 [2 favorites]
The only bird that can fly backwards!
posted by rhizome at 9:17 AM on January 19, 2021 [2 favorites]
The Sonora Desert Museum has a wonderful hummingbird aviary. Highly recommended if you get the chance to visit.
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 9:27 AM on January 19, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by Orange Dinosaur Slide at 9:27 AM on January 19, 2021 [2 favorites]
This is as good a place as any to make sure everyone with an interest in hummingbirds watch Ze Frank's amazing "Hummingbirds: The Warrior Junkies". It just might be the best laugh you'll have all day!
posted by jeremias at 9:49 AM on January 19, 2021 [5 favorites]
posted by jeremias at 9:49 AM on January 19, 2021 [5 favorites]
Amazing. Thanks.
posted by praemunire at 10:41 AM on January 19, 2021
posted by praemunire at 10:41 AM on January 19, 2021
Also, I really appreciate it when their wing beat rate matches the frame rate of the camera and you get the floaty bird effect.
posted by Johnny Assay at 11:31 AM on January 19, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by Johnny Assay at 11:31 AM on January 19, 2021 [2 favorites]
Added this INSTANTLY to my collection of livestreams. Who the heck needs TV shows?
posted by JanetLand at 11:33 AM on January 19, 2021
posted by JanetLand at 11:33 AM on January 19, 2021
In the chat scroll by, someone was talking about how behind what we can see, there are ELEVEN other feeders. I wonder if she buys sugar in bulk from CostCo, they must all be absolutely ravenous.
posted by foxfirefey at 11:40 AM on January 19, 2021
posted by foxfirefey at 11:40 AM on January 19, 2021
I grow my own fruit, so I say: hummingbirds are a-holes. Goddamit, at least commit! Eat the whole fruit, not just punch a hole in it.
posted by SPrintF at 5:30 PM on January 19, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by SPrintF at 5:30 PM on January 19, 2021 [2 favorites]
Is it true that if you feed a hummingbird, they will come back year after year, and if you don't put the sugar water out and there's nothing else around, they might die?
posted by aniola at 5:40 PM on January 19, 2021
posted by aniola at 5:40 PM on January 19, 2021
My aforementioned feeder has been empty since around last spring and I still see birds popping by to check it. So yeah, they have some kind of memory...but there's never nothing else around.
posted by rhizome at 5:50 PM on January 19, 2021
posted by rhizome at 5:50 PM on January 19, 2021
This South African bird table is good too.
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 1:35 AM on January 20, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by Bloxworth Snout at 1:35 AM on January 20, 2021 [1 favorite]
Is it true that ... if you don't put the sugar water out and there's nothing else around, they might die?
No need to worry. They already know all of your neighbors and within half a mile who also have feeders. Also, they are insectivores, so there’s no shortage of food. See #6 on this list.
The most amazing thing I’ve discovered about hummers is their song, which just sounds like tuneless chirps and clicks AT NORMAL SPEED.
Try this: use your phone’s slow motion video option to record a noisy hummingbird (or even just record the livecam feed).
Then play it back in slow motion. It suddenly sounds a lot like normal (non-hummingbird) singing, chirping birds, with notes and everything. Blew my mind the first time I heard it!
Here’s a good example I found just now, but try it yourself, especially if you have hummingbirds “singing” in your yard!
posted by LEGO Damashii at 1:54 AM on January 20, 2021 [1 favorite]
No need to worry. They already know all of your neighbors and within half a mile who also have feeders. Also, they are insectivores, so there’s no shortage of food. See #6 on this list.
The most amazing thing I’ve discovered about hummers is their song, which just sounds like tuneless chirps and clicks AT NORMAL SPEED.
Try this: use your phone’s slow motion video option to record a noisy hummingbird (or even just record the livecam feed).
Then play it back in slow motion. It suddenly sounds a lot like normal (non-hummingbird) singing, chirping birds, with notes and everything. Blew my mind the first time I heard it!
Here’s a good example I found just now, but try it yourself, especially if you have hummingbirds “singing” in your yard!
posted by LEGO Damashii at 1:54 AM on January 20, 2021 [1 favorite]
I used to work with a wildlife rehabber and I got to do all the hummingbirds people brought in. If you'll allow me a small PSA here, never try to rehab a hummingbird by yourself, contrary to popular belief they can not exist on just sugar water and need a special mix of nutrients in order to get them back to good. So if you find a downed hummingbird please contact you local wildlife Rehab right away!
posted by WalkerWestridge at 11:20 AM on January 20, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by WalkerWestridge at 11:20 AM on January 20, 2021 [2 favorites]
This is perfect to have on while working or for my cats. Thank you for sharing this!
posted by excelsiorpain at 12:33 AM on January 21, 2021
posted by excelsiorpain at 12:33 AM on January 21, 2021
Ooh, from the same channel that runs the camera: Top 10 Beautiful Hummingbirds You Must See
Just some nice photos of fancy hummingbirds.
posted by Going To Maine at 2:07 PM on January 21, 2021
Just some nice photos of fancy hummingbirds.
posted by Going To Maine at 2:07 PM on January 21, 2021
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I have 3 feeders like that during the Spring and Summer, and I ended up moving each one out of the eye-line of each other because otherwise there's a constant dive-bombing territorial turf war going on.
posted by jeremias at 7:35 AM on January 19, 2021 [6 favorites]