Though they are the world’s smallest birds, hummingbirds have some of the biggest feathered attitudes and will often fight with one another. They might even attack and chase much larger birds or non-birds, including cats, dogs, and humans. While this can be fun to watch (or dodge!), it can be stressful for the birds and may wreak havoc on the entire yard. Fortunately, there are a number of different ways you can prevent backyard hummingbird brawls.

Why Hummingbirds Fight

Hummingbirds can be fiercely territorial, especially when guarding the most abundant food sources. This territoriality may be around feeders, flowerbeds, a particular flowering vine, or any other area that offers great nutrition to meet these birds’ energy needs. Similarly, hummingbirds might also be territorial about good perches or nesting sites. This behavior will also help demonstrate strength and dominance so a bird can defend a larger territory.

When fighting, hummingbirds may chitter at one another with aggressive calls, first hoping to scare competitors or intruders away. Next, the birds may charge at one another or chase each other, buzzing by closely or in some cases, actually making chest bumping contact or grazing one another with their bills or talons. Some hummingbirds may dive bomb their perceived enemies, or may chase them far away from their claimed area.

While hummingbird fights rarely cause serious injuries, such disruptive behavior can create a disturbance in the yard that will keep other birds away. This can make a yard less attractive to all sorts of bird species, in addition to keeping other hummingbirds away. The hummingbirds themselves can even suffer as they expend more energy fighting instead of building nests, caring for their young, or migrating in the appropriate season.

How to Keep the Peace at Your Hummingbird Feeders

There are several options for trying to stop hummingbirds from fighting in the yard. The more of these options you implement, the more successful you will be at minimizing a feathered fight club.

• Add More Feeding Areas
  If hummingbirds have more places to easily feed, they will be less likely to fight over one prime spot. The easiest way to do this is to add more nectar feeders, but you can also add a pot of nectar-rich flowers, plant an arbor with a flowering vine, or plan a new flowerbed filled with hummingbird favorites.
• Adjust Feeder Spacing
  Moving feeders further apart will give more hummingbirds the opportunity to feed without impinging on one another’s space. Setting up separate feeding stations can easily accommodate more birds and can help ensure multiple hummingbirds have the chance to visit the feeders.
• Change Feeder Sightlines
  If possible, feeders should be out of sight of one another, such as around a corner or putting one in the front yard and one in the back. If this isn’t an option, however, consider moving the feeders to obstructed sightlines, using a tree, shed, or even a planter with tall grass to obscure the view and hide the feeders from each other’s view.
• Remove Perches
  A very aggressive hummingbird will find a convenient perch from which to survey the nearby territory, using it as a launching platform for the next attack. To prevent this type of guard activity, watch which perches the bird uses often and selectively prune them away. The hummingbird will find other less-productive vantage points.
• Check for Stressors
  If you’ve taken several steps to curb hummingbird fighting but the birds aren’t letting up, check nearby for anything that might be making them angry. This could be a prowling cat, a wasp nest, or another disturbance they perceive as a threat. Remove that threat, and the birds should settle into relative peace.

It may not be possible to completely eliminate hummingbird fighting, because just like birders, some birds are more excitable or aggressive than others. It is easy to mitigate the disturbance, however, and very soon, your hummingbird feeding station will once again be a peaceful and enjoyable sanctuary to enjoy!