Hello Anna’s Hummingbird Fans:
As promised, here are some brief results from the study of Anna’s hummingbirds (Calypte anna)that we all conducted over the past 2 months. I am indebted with gratitude for the success of this project, and owe it to you all for participating, as well as Puget Sound Bird Observatory (PSBO) for hosting the study on their website, and to Tweeters for allowing me to post requests.
The impetus behind this project was to engage the greater Puget Sound community in a hummingbird habitat advocacy project. The project was initially directed toward Puget Sound residents; however, it soon grew to include all of Western Washington, and eventually the entire state of Washington, driven by interest of participants from various parts of the state.
The project was broken down into three segments, the first of which began with a survey to determine whom (if anyone) was interested in attracting hummingbirds to our area, and just how much participants knew about the Anna's hummingbird, how much they wanted to learn, and finally, how many were interested in participating in a study to document the presence of the Anna's hummingbird in our region as we entered into the late fall. The second portion of the project included writing up an educational document based on the results of the first survey, and making it available to interested participants. This was sent out via the Internet (hosted by PSBO) along with an invitation to participate in journaling Anna’s hummingbird observations over the following six week period. The final phase included a follow-up survey to find out what (if anything) had changed in the way of Anna’s hummingbird observations since prior to commencement of the project.
Results of the preliminary survey are as follows:
Anna'sHummingbirdSurvey#1
Isattractinghummingbirdstoourregionimportanttoyou?
8.18%
9.09%
82.73%
Yes(82.73%)No(9.09%)Other(PleaseSpecify):(8.18%)
Doyouattempttoattracthummingbirdstoyouryard?
9.26%
90.74%
Yes(90.74%)No (9.26%)
Ifso,whatmethodsdoyouuse to lurethemto youryard?
3.90%
22.94%
39.39%
33.77%
Iputouthummingbirdfeeders.(39.39%)
Iplantvegetationthatwillattracthummingbirds.(33.77%)
Iputouthangingbasketswithflowerstoattracthummingbirds.(22.94%)Other(PleaseSpecify):(3.9%)
Approximatelyhowoftendoyouobservehummingbirdsinyouryard?
7.27%
5.45%
9.09%
57.27%
20.91%
4ormoretimesdaily(57.27%) 1-3timesdaily(20.91%) 1-6timesweekly (9.09%) 1-4 times monthly(5.45%) Lessoftenthanonceamonth(7.27%)
Atwhichtimesofyeardoyouobservehummingbirdsinyouryard?
26.83% 24.39%
22.49% 24.39%
Summer(26.83%) Autumn(24.39%) Winter(22.49%) Spring(26.29%)
Thinking specificallyabouttheAnna'shummingbird: AreyouabletoidentifytheAnna'shummingbird.
5.61%
8.41%
85.98%
Yes(85.98%) No(8.41%) Notsure(5.61%)
Ifso,doyousee:
2.20%
3.30%
94.51%
Males(2.2%) Females(3.3%) Both94.51%)
AreyouabletoidentifytheAnna'shummingbirdbygender?
11.21%
10.28%
78.50%
Yes(78.5%) No(10.28%) Notsure(11.21%)
Have you onlyobservedasinglehummingbirdflyingsoloordoyouseemultiplehummingbirdsin
19.81%
80.19%
Solo(19.81%)Multiples(80.19%)
AreyouinterestedinlearningmoreaboutAnna'shummingbird:
3.22%
12.86%
19.61%
12.22%
18.01%
14.79%
19.29%
Vegetation(flora)habitat(19.61%)Nutritionalneeds/desires(18.01%)Nestinghabits(19.29%)Breedingrituals(14.79%)Diseases(12.22%)
Vocalizations(12.86%)Other(PleaseSpecify):(3.22%)
Anna'sHummingbirdsonyourproperty?(ThestudywilllastfromnowuntilearlyDece
29.63%
70.37%
Yes(70.37%)No(29.63%)
Whatisyourgender?
39.25%
60.75%
Male(39.25%)Female(60.75%)
Whatisyourgeneral age?
5-10
11-20
21-30
31-40
41-50
51-60
61-70
71-80
81+
In response to the request for journaling, there were a total of 205 journal entries received, each showing up to eight different hummingbird observations. In addition, there were several people who asked to e-mail their observations directly rather than use the online journal. Once totaled, there were 1,439 separate observations of Anna’s hummingbirds recorded over a six week time period. Temperatures reported by participants at the time of observations ranged from 21 degrees on November 22 to 58 degrees on October 28. The majority of the observations involved watching hummingbirds feed at feeders, defending their food source, flying, or sitting in trees (most often near a food source). However, courtship and mating displays were observed in male Anna’s hummingbirds on at least two occasions. Aggressive chasing was also frequently observed, most often around hummingbird feeders. Males were found to be more likely to chase away other males and females, but gender identification was not always provided by observers. While the chasing was most often limited to hummingbirds, one participant observed an Anna’s hummingbird chasing away a Downy Woodpecker and chickadees numerous times. Of the journal entry observations, male Anna’s hummingbirds were identified 508 times, 321 females were observed, and 583 times the gender was not discernible.
The Anna’s hummingbirds were seen most often eating from feeders provided by participants (possibly because more feeders were visible from participant’s houses than vegetation); however, many were also seen eating from fuchsia nectar and geraniums. There were fewer reports of hummingbirds feeding from honeysuckle flowers, salvia, and fewer still from numerous other flowering plants, bushes, trees, half eaten apples that had been put out for woodpeckers, gnats, and “insects” (species not provided).
Several vocalizations and “clicking” noises were reported by contributors, and one described a loud popping sound made by the tail feathers following a free-falling dive, indicative of mating rituals among Anna’s. One hummingbird was observed taking a bath at a garden fountain.
One journaling participant also noted the presence of a few Rufous hummingbirds (Selasphorus rufus) throughout the month of November, far beyond the time of year when they are usually present in Washington State, leading one to wonder if perhaps this species is altering its habitat as well.
The majority of respondents to the journaling activity were female (71.6%), and most fell under the age range of 61-70 years of age (27%).
Results to the follow-up survey are as follows:
Anna'sHummingbirdSurvey2
Yes
PART2-HUMMINGBIRDOBSERVATIONSURVEY-1)Ihavehummingbirdfeeder(s)onmyproperty:
Responses Percentage
5394.64%
No
35.36%
2)Ifyesto 1,howmanyfeeders:(Ifno,please skiptoquestion9).
1
Responses Percentage
1835.29%
2
1631.37%
3
917.65%
4
47.84%
5or more
47.84%
Alreadyhad
3)Ialreadyhadthesamenumberofhummingbirdfeedersonmypropertybeforethisstudy, oriaddedone/some:
Responses Percentage
5198.08%
Putmyfirstfeederupsincethestartofthisstudy
Addedoneoremorefeederssincethestartofthisstudy
00%
11.92%
4)Whatdoyouusefor hummingbirdfood?
Sugar andwater Imakemyself(ifso,pleaseincluderatioofwatertosugar in"other")
Responses Percentage
5152.04%
Storeboughtmix
11.02%
Ifstorebought,pleasespecifybrandin"other"Other (PleaseSpecify):
00%
4646.94%
Yes
5)Iamabletoseethehummingbirdfeeder(s)frommyhouse:
Responses Percentage
4994.23%
NoBoth
00%
35.77%
6)Howoftendidyouchangethefoodinyourhummingbirdfeeders?
(Responsesvariedfromeveryotherdaytoevery3or4weeks,withtheaverageindicatingchangingfoodweekly.)
7)Did youchangeyourhabitswithregardtofeedinghummingbirdssincethestartofthisstudy:
Responses Percentage
Ichangedthefoodmorefrequently.
715.22%
Ichangedthefoodlessfrequently.
12.17%
Ifoundthefeederemptyattimes.
715.22%
Other (PleaseSpecify):
3167.39%
Yes
8)Werethereperiods oftimewhen(forwhatever reason)thehummingbirdfeederswent unchangedformorethanaweek?
Responses Percentage
2040%
No
2652%
Notsure
48%
9)Ialreadyhadvegetationthat willattracthummingbirdstomyproperty,orIplantedsomesincethisstudystarted:
Responses Percentage
Alreadyhadsomeplanted
5094.34%
Added somesincethisstudystartedBoth
00%
35.66%
10)Ifyesto9,whatkindofhummingbirdvegetationdoyouhave?Ifno,pleaseskiptoquestion13.
(TheoverwhelmingmajorityofpeopleansweredFuchsiavarieties,followedbySalvia,Honeysuckle,Columbine,Trumpetvine,andnumerousotherfloweringplants,bushesandtreesthatwerelistedlessfrequently.)
Yes
11)Iamabletoseethevegetationthat attractshummingbirdsfrommyhouse:
Responses Percentage
3870.37%
No
814.81%
Both
814.81%
12)Ifyouplantedanynewvegetationsincestartingthisstudy,didyouobserveanychangeinAnna'shummingbirdactivityas aresultofyourplantings?
Yes
Responses Percentage
29.52%
No
1676.19%
Notsure
314.29%
MoreAnna'shummingbirdsthanbeforethisstudystarted
13)IbelieveIsaw:
Responses Percentage
510%
Fewer Anna'shummingbirdsthanbeforethisstudystarted
24%
Thesamenumber ofAnna'shummingbirdsthanwhenthisstudystarted
4386%
14)Werethereanyotherintentionalorunintentionalhabitatchanges(e.g.floods,treesdown,treesplanted,etc.)that tookplaceonyourpropertysincethebeginningofthisproject,ANDifso,didtheyhaveanimpactonyour hummingbirdobservations?
Responses Percentage
Yes- ifso,pleaselistunder"other"No
00%
4792.16%
Other (PleaseSpecify):
47.84%
15)DidyouobserveanyAnna'shummingbirdfatalities?
Yes- ifso,pleaselistknownor suspectedcauseunder"other"No
Notsure
Other (PleaseSpecify)
Responses Percentage
00%
5698.25%
00%
11.75%
Yes
16)DidyouobserveanyAnna'shummingbirdbirths?
Responses Percentage
47.02%
No
5189.47%
Notsure
23.51%
Male
Female
17)Alittleinformationaboutyou:Iam:
Responses Percentage
2341.07%
3358.93%
5-10
11-20
21-30
31-40
41-50
51-60
61-70
71-80
81-90
90+
18)Iambetweentheagesof:
Responses Percentage
00%
00%
11.79%
23.57%
916.07%
1628.57%
2035.71%
610.71%
23.57%
00%