Hummingbirds belong to the family Trochilidae and it consists of 361 different species. These species only live-in different areas of America. The most common term used for the collection of hummingbirds is a charm. This name is usually given to a tiny creature. Shimmer and bouquet are also used for a group of hummingbirds.
Behavior of hummingbirds
These birds are very conscious about cleaning themselves. An oil gland is present on their back just close to their tail. This gland is used to cover the wings of birds. They use rainwater for taking baths. These birds share feeders despite their living separately. They are unsocial and not happy at all in sharing their items with others.
As these are territorial and divide their living areas. Female partners live close to their nests. Both males and females remain active in protecting their nests. The male hummingbirds try to impress other females before mating.
They perform a mating dance in front of females by showing their body parts. They show their chest and throat to catch the attention of females. These birds are very smart and intelligent and have a very strong memory. They remember the feeders and flowers of their territory.
Flocking behavior
There are 361 species of hummingbirds present in the world. The majority of these birds do not form flocks except during the process of foraging and feeding. These birds are very terrestrial and chase off other birds if their area in search of food. Sometimes, multiple birds feed on the same source.
The unsocial behavior of these birds may persist in their breeding season. The ruby-throated hummingbird and calliope hummingbird become social only in their courtship for just a few minutes. Most the species of hummingbirds are often migratory despite their small wings and tiny size.
The Calliope hummingbird is 3 inches in length and is known as the smallest and lightest migratory bird on the planet. They travel from Canada to Mexico and Central America during the winter season. The black-chinned hummingbird travels thousands of miles away from his breeding areas to the colder areas of Central America.
The Rufous hummingbird travels 3200 km away from the Rocky Mountains towards the breeding grounds in Alaska. The Ruby-throated hummingbird only weighs 3 grams and travels from 500 to 1200 miles without taking a break. The hummingbird travels alone during their migration. According to some researchers, these birds have an innate ability to perform migration alone.
They sometimes travel with other large birds but not during their whole trip. A lesser prominent behavior of hummingbirds is lek mating. During this process, many males gather together in the same area to compete for the females through a synchronization act.
Swallow-tailed hummingbirds and Guy’s Hermit hummingbirds usually form leks when some birds sing the same bird song in the union. After that, some birds move towards the next step of courtship which also includes some type of dance. The lekking is an example of complex social behavior in unsocial hummingbirds.
The solitary attitude of hummingbirds
Some species of birds are solitary in their behavior such as chats, robins, snipes, flycatchers, and warblers. Due to this behavior, their independence in selecting nesting sites and food items is increased.
Each bird can make its decision on its own without following the consent of its flock. This behavior can increase the chances of successful breeding. For example, males can mate with multiple females in their breeding season. The size of the clutch of hummingbirds is small and these tiny birds have a shorter lifespan as compared to other birds.
General terms used for a group of hummingbirds
General terms used for flocks of hummingbirds are a bouquet, a glittering, a chattering, a drum, a shimmer, a troubling, a hover, and a tune. The term hover explains its meaning itself. A drum is called due to the drum-like voices of hummingbirds’ wings. After some mating seconds, the male flies away and leaves their premises. These birds are much more independent throughout the year.
Charm of hummingbirds
These birds feed together in their feed-rich tropical and rainforest habitats. If someone sees a group of hummingbirds without the intention of foraging or feeding, the visitor is lucky to have them in the form of a group.
Some people love to attract some birds in their garden and somehow manage it by offering them different types of their favorite seeds and fresh clean drinking water. Hummingbirds rarely spend their time in the form of groups.
During the breeding season, both the partners do not form bonded pairs. Males are usually monogamous and leave their area soon after the process of mating. Males rarely put a major part in the process of courtship.
Males of Anna hummingbird dive and swoop around the female at the speed of 60mph during the process of courtship. The period required for mating is 2 to 5 seconds and perform in the mid-air.
A glittering and a Bouquet of hummingbirds
Due to the dazzling and shining feathers of hummingbirds, their group is called glittering. These characteristics make them unique from other large and small flying birds. Another term used for a flock of hummingbirds is a bouquet.
They gather like a bunch of flowers during the process of foraging and feeding. Due to the different colors in their wings, these birds look like a garland. Whenever we see some hummingbirds flying in search of food.
A tune of hummingbirds
If you are a nature lover, you visit the park early in the morning. You hear different voices of birds such as chirping. Different birds in the same groups have different voices. The voice of hummingbirds is much like the sound of the piano.
They sometimes sing in the rhythm, so one can find difficulty in identifying their voice individually. When 2 or more than 2 individuals sing together, they create a melody. Due to the voices of hummingbirds, they are called a tune.
A shimmer of hummingbirds
These birds are so unique due to their long beaks and colored feathers. Their feathers show beautiful color contrasts when they are flying in groups. In a flock, it looks like these birds are dancing.
Their feathers shimmer in the sunlight and produce different contrasts from different angles. So, their glittering wings make a group of shimmering hummingbirds.
A widget and Gabby of hummingbirds
Birds have a strong connection with the hope, beauty, and happiness of nature. Some people called them widgets because these birds are closely connected with the natural beauty of the environment. The real meaning of a widget is a device. It is associated with hummingbirds because of their smaller size.
The actual meaning of gabby is funny. If we hear the chattering of hummingbirds in a garden you can call that bird gabby. This word is mostly used for the birds which are always chirping. Due to their talkative nature, they are called so.
A buddy and saffron of hummingbirds
Buddy word is used for any close friend to address them informally. This bird is a reduced form of bother. Some people called their favorite pet a buddy. It is used for showing love and affection.
Saffron is an orange-yellow colored substance used as a flavoring or food coloring agent. A group of hummingbirds is called saffron due to the coloring patterns hummingbirds. If someone has hummingbirds of orange and yellow colors, he can call their group saffron.
A hover of hummingbirds
Hover means a helicopter that can stay in the air for a longer period. This term can also be used for hummingbirds as they spread their wings in the air very rapidly. Their feathers beat more than 20 times in a second. They perform this while taking nectar from flowers. Their body is somewhat sluggish and remains motionless in the air. This habit allows these birds to hover while sucking lower nectars.
Group of baby hummingbirds
Babies are a source of happiness for their parents and visitors too. People enjoy playing and staring at them. One can see surprising movements and their hatchings in the wild or any garden. Their nests are so small and we can easily look at them keenly.
The babies are usually called chicks. A deep observation can give you more knowledge about broods. The other nicknames used for these chicks are dart, rainbow bird, hummie, stabby, and birdbeam.
Some people call them with funny names such as Pepsi, Tigger, spike, and many others. At different stages of their life, the baby chicks are called nestlings, hatchlings, fledglings, and chicks.
Pair of hummingbirds
There is no specific term used for a pair of hummingbirds. Males often spend minimum time with females. The females are responsible for all the parental duties such as nesting, feeding, and taking care of young ones.
Both the males and females live lonely and territorial lives and are aggressive towards other birds and animals which try to occupy their territory. It is difficult to note their behavior so keenly because these birds are unsocial and live in deep dense habitats. No species of hummingbirds are remotely monogamous.
