Subject: Re: Hummingbird memory
Date: May 16 09:09:45 1996
From: "Ed Schulz" - eschulz at eldec.com


Catherine Fryer writes:

>We have been observing the last few days a
>hummingbird(s) coming up to where this hummingbird feeder was over 2 years
>ago. We have observed this every once in a while in previous years. Do
>they remember where all the feeders are year after year? Could a human
>remember this well? Does anyone know?

I have read that hummingbirds will return to previous feeder locations in
subsequent years, although I can't reference any studies. It seems that
small birds can have impressive memory abilities. According to Susan M.
Smith in "The Black-capped Chickadee", these birds cache store between
50,000 and 80,000 seeds in individual locations (scatter hoarding, as
opposed to larder formation). They seem to do a good job of keeping track
of where the seeds are. I can't remember where I put my last copy of
either my WOS newsletter or Audubon newsletter. But, I do remember that
this isn't the first time I've misplaced them...

Ed Schulz
Everett, WA
eschulz at eldec.com