Female Hummingbirds Masquerade as Males to Avoid Harassment

April 9, 2024 6:45 PM

Female Hummingbirds Masquerade as Males to Avoid Harassment. One-fifth of female white-necked jacobins sport flashy male-like plumage, which may help them access more food.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries (5 comments total)

Females everywhere just want to be left the heck alone.
posted by kinnakeet at 4:54 AM on April 10 [3 favorites]

god forbid women do anything
posted by Kitteh at 5:18 AM on April 10 [5 favorites]

Female pigeons seem to be constantly surrounded by macking male pigeons strutting and puffing and cooing and getting in their way. The females give off this so-tired-of-this vibe. I feel sorry for them.
posted by seanmpuckett at 5:19 AM on April 10 [4 favorites]

the way this article describes the male-appearing female hummingbirds as "implementing" as sort of disguise is odd...like this is something the female birds *choose* to do, which it isn't
posted by daisystomper at 12:12 PM on April 10 [1 favorite]

This very interesting, and the opposite of my experience - having fed hummingbirds for decades. I currently have 4 feeders in my tiny back yard, and each one has a male that thinks it is his. He will allow females to drink from it, but will chase off other males until he gets tired, at which point other hungry males will dart in for a quick meal.

Spring came early this year (West Coast of US) and then got rainy, so there are a ton of newly hatched humms that have been depending on our feeders for over a month. I'm pretty sure they've slurped up over 3 gallons of sugar water in the last week.

Still, I've only seen males fighting males. Maybe it's regional? We have Anna's, Allen's, and Rufous hummingbirds - as well as a bunch of hybrids.
posted by Anoplura at 12:31 AM on April 11 [1 favorite]