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I think Suzanne's suggestion that hummers are now visiting more flowers,
thus fewer feeders, is probably the correct one, at least for the males.
When I lived in the Pacific Northwest, I noticed that hummer visits to the
feeders would always drop off sharlply when fireweed (which is abundant
there in July) came into bloom. It would be interesting to observe what
plants are blooming now in the areas where there has been a decline in
hummer visits to feeders.
For the females, hummingbirds.net has a more complicated answer:
"Shortly after arriving, the females establish a nesting territory.
Ruby-throats prefer secluded wetlands for nesting, if available, and
proximity to your feeder is not an issue; in fact, females don't like to
build nests in a male's feeding territory, and your feeder is probably part
of one. Visits to distant feeders take too much time away from the eggs.
When the chicks hatch, they need protein to grow, not sugar, so their mother
spends most of her time catching small insects and spiders for them.
". I haven't found an explanation for the scarcity of males at feeders in
late spring, but I suspect the relative abundance of blooming wildflowers is
responsible.
"After the chicks fledge (leave the nest), expect the number of hummers at
your feeder to be double what it was before the 'disappearance.'"
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<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>I think Suzanne’s suggestion that hummers are now =
visiting
more flowers, thus fewer feeders, is probably the correct one, at least =
for the
males. When I lived in the Pacific Northwest, I noticed that hummer =
visits to
the feeders would always drop off sharlply when fireweed (which is =
abundant
there in July) came into bloom. It would be interesting to observe what =
plants
are blooming now in the areas where there has been a decline in hummer =
visits
to feeders. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>For the females, hummingbirds.net has a more complicated =
answer:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><span =
style=3D'font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style=3D'line-height:150%'><span =
style=3D'font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>“Shortly
after arriving, the females establish a nesting territory. Ruby-throats =
prefer
secluded wetlands for nesting, if available, and proximity to your =
feeder is
not an issue; in fact, females don't like to build nests in a male's =
feeding
territory, and your feeder is probably part of one. Visits to distant =
feeders
take too much time away from the eggs. When the chicks hatch, they need =
protein
to grow, not sugar, so their mother spends most of her time catching =
small
insects and spiders for them. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style=3D'line-height:150%'><span =
style=3D'font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>“…
I haven't found an explanation for the scarcity of males at feeders in =
late
spring, but I suspect the relative abundance of blooming wildflowers is
responsible. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style=3D'line-height:150%'><span =
style=3D'font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif"'>“After
the chicks fledge (leave the nest), expect the number of hummers at your =
feeder
to be double what it was before the ‘disappearance.’" =
<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=3DMsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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