I can call my hummingbird with a whistle, and hummingbird guide?

16 years ago

For the first time I have put out a hummingbird feeder.

It took a few days but a hummingbird finally found the feeder. It's been about 3 weeks now.

I can go outside onto the deck near the feeder and whistle and the hummingbird will come to the feeder.

Is this common?

I also noticed something else.

I have seen 2 hummingbirds, I have only seen one at the feeder, he seems to be the smaller of the two.

What I have noticed several times is the larger bird will hover ten feet above the feeder and then I hear a high pitch call, and then the smaller bird comes to the feeder, while the larger bird leaves.

It is as if he is guiding the little one to the feeder.

I've seen it happen at least 3 times in the last month.

Does anyone else hear the high pitch call or notice similar behaviors?

Featured Answer

ERICA JONES

3 years ago

Yes I too whistle and my hummingbird comes every time year after year. I call myself the hummingbird whisperer.. lol .

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Comments (14)

scouterbecky
16 years ago
I can whistle for my cat and thought that was pretty unique, but never for a bird. You have something pretty big going there, blakthumz.

Becky
costaricafinca
16 years ago
What species of hummingbird do you have visiting the feeder?
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swizzyd
16 years ago
That is so, cool - I've never heard of it but am going to try it this summer when the hummingbirds return.

I've only ever seen one hummingbird at a time at my feeder. In fact they appear to be quite territorial and I've actually seen them attack each other at times. Maybe you have a mommy and baby?

I might try whistling for my cat too, but the only thing she comes to is a can of tuna!
scouterbecky
16 years ago
Defiantly! All it takes is the can opener to get her running to the kitchen. And she will also sit by her dish waiting to for tuna when there is other food. She is a princess, after all. If only certain birds came that easy!
sqlguy
16 years ago
When photographing hummingbirds, I've found that the click of the camera, and/or the flash can attract them, particularly the dominant hummingbird at that specific feeder. My theory is that because he associates the flash with the the appearance of other birds at the feeder, he learns to show up to defend it when there's a flash. Since he's there, he takes a drink before leaving. Because I've mainly observed this at Madera Canyon in the spring, it was pretty easy to figure this out because it was generally the same species bird that showed up after a 'boredom' flash I would flash if I had not had any birds for a while. Sometimes, the feeder would be primarily 'owned' by a broadbill, at other times/locations/years it might be a magnificent. Once accustomed to the flash, the birds aren't usually startled even though my flashes are quite close. (1 or 2 feet from feeder.) A high pitched whistle might produce a similar territorial response. I'd be tempted to try a dog whistle and see if they react quite well to that.

Visit my link to www.gregscott.com to see my very high resolution hummingbird photos. They're not all high resolution, but most of the recent ones (taken in the spring) are quite high in resolution.

Here is a link that might be useful: See my high resolution photos here.
flowers_in_wa
16 years ago
The neighbor's kid had a tube whistle last year. The whistle was the kind that are bright red or bright blue and about 2 feet long, and make a somewhat obnoxious (to adults) sound. He was tooting that whistle for quite a while the day he got it and a couple of killdeer showed up out of nowhere. Their call is very similar to that whistle. Maybe your own whistle is similar to a hummingbird's call and the hummingbird showed up to defend his territory from you? (:

Susan
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lisa11310
16 years ago
Many of us Blue Bird land lords have their Blues trained to come to a whistle letting them know we have just filled thier meal worm feeder. Not only do my Blues come running...so do the Chickadees and the Titmice. So yes Birds will come when called....didn't know Hummers would, I will try that once they get here!
priscillar
16 years ago
When hummers are around, if I go out & start a chickadee call the hummers will come...don't know why other than they love to chase chickadees through the trees...cracks me up to watch this too!
sandy3877
last year
last modified: last year
I know this sounds funny, but i use a certain high pitched voice and call the birds and i have witnesses that they come!! i say ”you-who, where are you? Free nector here” over and over. Yes, i think i am a humming Whisperer!
ERICA JONES
last year
I am in Az, but whereever i go, same thing. I whistle and they come . Same hummers return year after year. But all hummers in area will come when I whistle, but the ones that laid claims to my feeders are busy chasing other hummers away after I whistle! So, you make a loud pitch? Very cool. I also have a loud high pitch whistle i make.
sandy3877
last year
Its crazy isnt it? i swear thpugh know me! Yes, im a hummingbird freak! my Dad thought i was nuts until he witnessed that it worked several times. lol I have that chant, the Woo-hoo one. To funny. good thing i dont have neighbors that can see me!
ERICA JONES
last year
Yes, people think I'm crazy! Same with my neighbors! It' hard to get people to sit still and pay attention for 3 - 5 minutes, sometimes hummers take a few cuz they 're off collecting nectar from somewhere else, but they always come! I can't wait for their return. Any day now!
ERICA JONES
last year
Also, I don't know why my comment had added hummingbird guide to my comment.......