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<p>We keep several hummingbird feeders year-round and put
heater-lights under them when the temp is going to drop below 30
or so to keep them from freezing. We find that both sexes
tolerate other individuals of either sex much more during the
winter months, and especially so during the first feedings in the
morning and the last feedings just before dark. </p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>I've posted a link to this video previously but thought I'd
include it again given the current conversation. It shows a
rather extreme example of tolerance during a late snowy afternoon
in December, 2021 just after 4pm:
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/gene-s_photos/51780668841/in/dateposted-public/">https://www.flickr.com/photos/gene-s_photos/51780668841/in/dateposted-public/</a></p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Cheers,</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p>Gene Beall<br>
Sammamish, WA<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:gene.beall@gmail.com">gene.beall@gmail.com</a></p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<p><br>
</p>
<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 2/25/26 9:04 AM, Faye McAdams Hands
via Tweeters wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:DS7PR11MB615047C7CE8B9150B2EA87A78675A@DS7PR11MB6150.namprd11.prod.outlook.com">
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<div
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class="elementToProof">
Hi Joan & Mark,</div>
<div
style="font-family: "Calibri", "Helvetica", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"
class="elementToProof">
I was just reminded of your posts this morning as I saw 2
females on my deck feeder and 1 male on my feeder by the fence,
both in my backyard. When the male finished his breakfast, he
flew over to the feeder on the deck and chased off the 2 females
and then flew off himself.....screaming something like
'cooperation is over-rated'......I couldn't quite tell from
inside my house.</div>
<div
style="font-family: "Calibri", "Helvetica", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"
class="elementToProof">
<br>
</div>
<div
style="font-family: "Calibri", "Helvetica", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"
class="elementToProof">
This also reminded me of a time 2 years ago, during a snowy
January day, I had 7 females on the deck feeder! (with only 5
ports to drink from). This portion of the deck is covered, so
protected from rain, snow and much wind. They all sat for quite
awhile, all equidistant apart, and occasionally taking a sip of
sustanence. </div>
<div class="elementToProof" id="Signature">
<div
style="font-family: "Calibri", "Helvetica", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"
class="elementToProof">
<br>
</div>
<div
style="font-family: "Calibri", "Helvetica", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"
class="elementToProof">
Happy Birding,</div>
<div
style="font-family: "Calibri", "Helvetica", sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"
class="elementToProof">
Faye</div>
<div class="elementToProof" id="divtagdefaultwrapper">
<p class="elementToProof"
style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span
style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Faye
McAdams Hands</span></p>
<div class="elementToProof"
style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
Belfair, WA</div>
<div class="elementToProof"
style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">
zest 4 parus AT hotmail dot com</div>
<p class="elementToProof"
style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em;">
<span
style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(75, 165, 36);">Life
is Simple -- Eat, Sleep, Bird.
</span><span
style="font-family: Calibri, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br>
</span></p>
</div>
</div>
<hr style="display:inline-block;width:98%" tabindex="-1">
<div id="divRplyFwdMsg" dir="ltr"><font face="Calibri, sans-serif"
style="font-size:11pt" color="#000000"><b>From:</b> Tweeters
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:tweeters-bounces@mailman11.u.washington.edu"><tweeters-bounces@mailman11.u.washington.edu></a> on behalf
of Mark Reinitz via Tweeters <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:tweeters@u.washington.edu"><tweeters@u.washington.edu></a><br>
<b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, February 24, 2026 10:55 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> Joan Miller <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:jemskink@gmail.com"><jemskink@gmail.com></a><br>
<b>Cc:</b> <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:tweeters@u.washington.edu">tweeters@u.washington.edu</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:tweeters@u.washington.edu"><tweeters@u.washington.edu></a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Tweeters] Hummers sharing feeder</font>
<div> </div>
</div>
<div dir="auto">Hi.
<div><br>
</div>
<div>My wife and I were just talking about the same thing! There
were 2 females on the feeder this morning. This has happened
several times lately. There were even times when a male sat on
a nearby branch without shooing them away. Not something we’ve
seen often.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Mark Reinitz<br id="x_lineBreakAtBeginningOfSignature">
<div dir="ltr">Sent from my iPad</div>
<div dir="ltr"><br>
<blockquote type="cite">On Feb 24, 2026, at 10:35 AM, Joan
Miller via Tweeters <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:tweeters@u.washington.edu"><tweeters@u.washington.edu></a>
wrote:<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite">
<div dir="ltr">
<div dir="ltr">
<div class="x_gmail_default"
style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif; font-size:small">
Hi Tweets</div>
<div class="x_gmail_default"
style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif; font-size:small">
<br>
</div>
<div class="x_gmail_default"
style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif; font-size:small">
This winter hasn't been that bad, but I have seen many
more instances of more than one hummingbird at a time
at my feeder. They never used to tolerate another at
the same time. Now I see two and occasionally a third
using the feeder at once (there are four ports).
Always females, but once in a while a male will join
them. I think it's unusual. Maybe this behavior will
change in spring and summer.</div>
<div class="x_gmail_default"
style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif; font-size:small">
<br>
</div>
<div class="x_gmail_default"
style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif; font-size:small">
Anyone else notice this sharing behavior?</div>
<div class="x_gmail_default"
style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif; font-size:small">
<br>
</div>
<div class="x_gmail_default"
style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif; font-size:small">
Joan Miller</div>
<div class="x_gmail_default"
style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif; font-size:small">
West Seattle</div>
<div class="x_gmail_default"
style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif; font-size:small">
jemsink at gmail dot com</div>
</div>
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<br>
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