Hello Tweets,

I want to share something that my son witnessed yesterday in Mukilteo on the hummingbird feeder outside his office window and inquire as to whether this is normal. Is it territorial or mating behavior? Warning - it isn't pleasant.
While a smallish Anna's was at the feeder, a larger one flew up, landed on the other's neck/shoulders and shoved the small one's head down to the feeder. It's beak was in the solution. He held it's head down for 8 minutes, while plucking out feather's from it's head. My son began filming at some point. After the 8 minutes, he went out to break it up because he couldn't stand it anymore and he got to within about one foot of the feeder before the big one flew to a close branch. The small one did not lift it's head so my son touched it to see if it was alive and it flew off. He said the big one was dive bombing him as he stood there contemplating what he had just witnessed. He didn't see the small one again.
Could this have been mating behavior or resource guarding?

Dayna Yalowicki
Bothell, Wa


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