Comments on: Please Take A Number!

By: Karen B

Karen B — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 19:09:42 +0000

Wow Rob that’s amazing. No I would never attempt to band or mark a hummingbird. So this formula makes sense to me and doesn’t surprise me either. I figured that there were a lot of hummers around.

By: Rob Protz

Rob Protz — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 13:24:31 +0000

Referencing local population counts. . .

Bob Sargent (the hummer guru from Alabama) http://hummingbirdsplus.org/ has a rule: Take the maximum number of hummers in view you can count at any time and multiply by 5. That gives a rough estimate of the number in the area.

As to Jeffrey W’s comment about marking a few birds. . . Yes, that’s how it’s done, but as the saying goes, DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME! It’s illegal unless you’re a bander, and even the banders need special permission to mark the birds they band. They usually mark them on the forehead, but some do it on the back.

By: Karen B

Karen B — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 17:36:20 +0000

Yes I see 27 too! See how hard is to count them in a picture….it’s impossible to do it live but we try. Thanks Jeffrey for your feedback….I agree the calculations are beyond my abilities too! LOL

By: jeffreyw

jeffreyw — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 15:35:54 +0000

Peter- You are correct! I see the two you point out.

Karen- I’ve wondered about how to count a resident population and have come up blank with the means available to me. I believe that the local birds come repeatedly to the feeders throughout the day so a count at 2 o’clock will certainly recount birds from a 1 o’clock count. Perhaps marking a few birds would allow a rough calculation towards determining the feeding frequency of individuals, and from that one may arrive at a population estimate but those calculations are beyond my own abilities.

By: Kate St. John

Kate St. John — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 15:28:42 +0000

Yay! I see 27 too!

By: Peter

Peter — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 11:37:49 +0000

Well, now that jeffery noted the tail on the left feeder I’m upping my count to 27! To the left of the feeder there is an upper and a lower hummer waiting their turn. But the lower one is actually two if you ask me (two beaks and two tails when you view you larger photo!)

By: Karen B

Karen B — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 23:26:25 +0000

Good catch with the tail….I also count 26. I have a question. Let’s say I have 4 feeders out and try to do an estimated count….first count all the holes, how many are sharing, how many are flying around waiting and how many are sitting on branches. Let’s say you get 30….here’s my question. Now it’s a half an hour later and you count 25 hummers are they the same hummers or are there 40 different or 60 different or more birds that visit my feeders in a given day???? Does anyone know where they roost? Please excuse my questions but I haven’t had the chance to talk about amount of birds my feeders attract.

By: jeffreyw

jeffreyw — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 21:50:54 +0000

Kate-

Thanks for the nice write up! For the hummer counters out there here’s a pic from August with all five of my feeders in the frame, shot from our kitchen window: (1600×1060)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffreyww/7782123524/sizes/h/in/photostream/

jeffreyw

P.S. I see 26 on the top photo, counting the one on the left feeder that is showing just the tips of its tail.

By: Peter

Peter — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 20:45:55 +0000

When I first counted I think I had 21…but by the end of the day I was up to 26. There are 13 on either side, and if I had to guess which one I’ve spotted, that isn’t in Rob’s count, I’d guess it’s on the far left. It’s easier to see if you click the photo then click the magnifying glass on the page that takes you to.

By: Rob Protz

Rob Protz — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 19:44:13 +0000

Ooops. . . on recount I get 25 hummers in the top picture!