Backyard Smackdown

I'll never understand the little mind of the hummingbird.
How can such small, beautiful, innocent looking birds be so mean?
I've had a love of the hummingbird since I was young. Nano and Papa always had a feeder on their back porch in the summers, and I can remember my grandfather complaining about the Rufous hummer. As I recall they had a book about a Rufous (wonder where that book is now? I'll have to ask Nano)

I can also remember my great grandmother (Big Nana) coming to visit from PA and she'd sit on the back porch holding onto her wig, she was just sure they'd swoop down and carry it off with their pointy bills.

I've been feeding the hummingbirds here for years, and each year I have added a new feeder or two in my efforts to keep the peace. I currently have 8 feeders out. In theory that should be a spot for 30 birds to sit and drink to their content. But in reality, it's just given the Rufous that many spots to protect as his own.

Last year I had two Rufous hummers fighting with each other and that gave the other hummers a shot at a drink as the two little red birds chased each other around the yard. But so far this year I just have one and he's busy keeping up with all "his" feeders.