DEAR JOAN: I have a hummingbird with a red head that sits atop the feeder and chases away any other birds that come to feed.
How can I make him stop or chase him away?
— Harry N., San Jose
DEAR HARRY: Your little bully bird is most likely a male Anna’s hummer. The male’s head is covered in red feathers, and the Anna’s hummingbird is a permanent resident of the Bay Area, finding our warmer winters preferable to a long migration.
I love hummingbirds. Just seeing one can brighten my day instantly, but we need to be honest here. Hummingbirds can sometimes be little jerks. Some, primarily the males, are known for guarding food sources and territories. They just don’t want to share, and they can become quite aggressive in the winter, when there isn’t as much food to go around.
That behavior is more justified when they’re scrapping for survival, but less so in the spring and summer, when food isn’t that much of an issue.
Experts have two primary methods for handling bullies, and both involve more work for humans. You need to add feeders on your property. One method is to place the feeders near each other, providing a visual cue that there is plenty of nectar, and there’s no need to fight over it.
The other method is to place additional feeders out of the line of sight of the first feeder, such as in a side yard or on the other side of the house. If you have a big yard, place them as far apart as you can. This way, Mr. Bully either won’t see other birds at the feeders or will exhaust himself trying to guard them all.
The hummer might also figure this out on his own, requiring you to just be patient.
A quick reminder to those with bird feeders of any sort, California Gov. Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency because of the avian bird flu. The declaration doesn’t address backyard bird feeders, but if you start seeing sick or dead birds, you should take down your feeders immediately. Otherwise, feeders should be cleaned often. Wear gloves and masks when handling them.
DEAR JOAN: My mother-in-law wants to give my daughter a kitten for Christmas. I have no problems with her getting a kitten, but I’ve always heard pets shouldn’t be given as Christmas presents. Is this true?
— L.G., Palo Alto
DEAR L.: The main issue with giving a pet as a gift at the holidays is that most households are in chaos at this time of the year with lots of visitors and out-of-town trips. A new pet needs a calm and reliable space when settling into a new home. All that activity can be stressful.
If your home is the very picture of calm, then there should be no problem with Grandma giving her a cat. The better idea, however, might be for your mother-in-law to wrap up some cat necessities along with a promise to visit a shelter or pet rescue together to pick out a cat in the new year, when life is quieter and the Christmas tree has been taken down by humans, not the new cat.
DEAR READERS: Just a note to say thank you for allowing me into your homes for another year. Bailey, the wonder Chihuahua, and I wish you a joyful holiday.
Animal Life runs on Mondays. Contact Joan Morris at AskJoanMorris@gmail.com.
