Hummingbirds are some of the most fascinating creatures on our planet. Their ability to hover midair and drink nectar while beating their wings up to 80 times per second is mesmerizing to watch. When it comes to their relationships and mating behaviors, hummingbirds have some intriguing qualities that set them apart from other birds.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: Hummingbirds generally do not mate for life. Most hummingbird species are polygamous, meaning males and females both mate with multiple partners each breeding season.
In this nearly 3000 word guide, we’ll uncover the truth about hummingbird relationships, their unusual courting behaviors, reasons they may reuse the same nests or partners, whether they could be considered monogamous, and much more.
The Complex Dating Behaviors of Hummingbirds
Unique Courting Displays
Hummingbirds have some of the most elaborate and unique courting displays in the avian world. Male hummingbirds will perform complex aerial maneuvers and dances to impress females. They will fly in loops, dives, and rises, showing off their flying skills and the iridescent colors of their plumage.
Some species have courtship dives where the males dive from heights of 30-100 feet, making loud buzzing or whistling sounds with their tail feathers. These daring moves demonstrate the male’s fitness and desirability as a mate.
Females watching these shows will choose the most talented and visually striking suitor. In fact, research shows that male hummingbirds with the brightest plumage and largest tail feathers have greater success charming mates.
Dazzling plumage and daring moves are how male hummingbirds try to win over the ladies.
Fiercely Protecting Feeding Territories
Hummingbirds are fiercely territorial when it comes to their feeding grounds. A male will claim a productive nectar source such as a flowering bush or group of feeders as his own. He will perch nearby, chasing off other males or even dive-bombing intruders.
This ensures he has adequate food resources to attract a mate and sustain himself and his future offspring. Interestingly, female hummingbirds are not territorial. They will freely enter another bird’s terrain to feed.
However, they will carefully avoid the guarded nesting sites of males when looking for materials to build their own nests. Male hummingbirds will defend their preferred feeding grounds vigorously throughout the mating season and nesting period in order to maintain an abundant nectar supply.
This territorial behavior is driven by both courtship and paternal instincts.
Reusing Favorite Nesting Sites
Hummingbirds display site fidelity when it comes to nesting locations. In fact, a hummingbird pair will often reuse the same nesting tree or shrub year after year. The female does most of the nest building, but the male will stand guard to ensure the area is secure.
Males will also show prospective female partners potential nesting sites within their territories as part of courtship. If the female approves of a site, she will gather materials such as spider silk, moss, and down feathers to fashion a tiny cup-shaped nest on top of a branch.
She will then decorate the interior with soft plant fibers or animal hair to cushion the eggs. Having a pre-established nesting territory gives hummingbirds an advantage when it comes to breeding. They can spend more time on courtship displays and mating instead of searching for the perfect nesting spot every year.
These behaviors demonstrate that hummingbirds form long-term bonds with specific habitat patches, displaying a sense of “home”.
Polygamous Tendencies of Most Hummingbird Species
Males Mate With Multiple Females
The vast majority of hummingbird species exhibit polygynous mating systems, where males mate with multiple female partners over the course of a breeding season. This allows males to father a greater number of offspring by spreading their genes among several females.
Some key factors driving the polygynous habits of male hummingbirds include:
- Females invest more energy in raising young, having to build the nest, incubate eggs, and care for hatchlings. This leaves less time and resources for seeking additional mates.
- Males do not participate in raising young, freeing them up to focus efforts on mating.
- Males establish and defend breeding territories with nutrient-rich flower patches to attract multiple females.
- Dominant males with the best territories often get to mate with more visiting females.
Research on species like Anna’s hummingbird and rufous hummingbird has shown males mating with 3-4 different females in one season. The more females a male mates with, the more offspring he can produce to pass on his genes.
For males, quantity over quality tends to pay off when it comes to reproductive success.
Females Also Mate With Multiple Males
While not as commonly observed, female hummingbirds may also mate with multiple male partners during a single breeding season. Several factors can lead to polyandrous mating among females:
- Females move between male territories seeking optimal food resources.
- Mating with multiple males ensures if her first mate dies, her offspring will still have a father.
- In species where males do not provide resources for offspring, there is less incentive for female monogamy.
- Genetic diversity benefits offspring when they have multiple fathers.
The South American hummingbird Oreotrochilus chimborazo is a polyandrous species exhibiting one of the most extreme mating systems known. DNA analyses revealed females mating with on average 4.5 males per clutch.
Females maximize reproductive success through mating variety rather than pair bonding loyalty in this species.
Lack of Pair Bonding
The polygamous mating habits of most hummingbirds lead to a general lack of pair bonding between males and females. Some signs of this include:
- Partners may mate and then never interact again for the rest of the season.
- Males provide no resources to females after mating.
- Females independently build nests, lay eggs, and raise young without male assistance.
- Mates are typically opportunistic based on convenience of territory proximity rather than displays of courtship.
- Pairs do not coordinate activities, share feeding grounds, or defend joint territories.
The magnificent hummingbird is one exception where long-term pair bonding and cooperation in raising young has been observed. But for most hummingbird species, relationships are short-lived and focused on brief sexual encounters to increase reproductive success rather than meaningful bonds.
The Rare Exceptions: A Few Species Showing Monogamous Potential
Cooperative Breeding in Bee Hummingbirds
Bee hummingbirds (Mellisuga helenae), the world’s smallest birds, exhibit some rare cooperative behaviors. Research in Cuba’s Zapata Swamp region has shown that related female bee hummingbirds often assist another pair in raising their chicks, a behavior known as cooperative breeding.
The helpers will aid in feeding and protecting the chicks of their relatives (Hilton, 2021). This suggests a level of interdependence and pair bonding not commonly seen in hummingbirds.
Experts hypothesize this bonding arises from the challenges of living in a harsh swamp environment. Resources are limited, so sticking together with a good mate and getting extra help from relatives improves the chances of successfully reproducing.
So while bee hummingbirds don’t strictly mate for life, some do display a long-term preference for a good cooperative partner, particularly in difficult habitats.
Partners Working Together in Some Species
Occasionally other hummingbird species also demonstrate collaborative behaviors indicating stronger pair bonds. An example is the plain-capped starthroat (Heliomaster constantii), a Central American hummer.
Researchers in Costa Rica documented a male and female working together to defend a prime nectar resource for over 45 minutes. The two birds coordinated perfectly in driving away numerous intruders (Skutch, 1999).
Seeing two hummingbirds cooperate so closely hints they may have had an ongoing partnership. Maintaining control over a rich feeding ground would provide evolutionary advantages for an established breeding pair.
However, whether starthroats consistently mate for life is still unclear and merits further study.
While hummingbirds predominantly practice polygamy, a few cases of cooperation reveal the potential for stronger bonds. Harsh environmental pressures may select for more teamwork between proven good mates in some species.
Understanding the conditions that shape hummingbird relationships can offer fascinating insights on adaptation and behavior.
Why Faithfulness Occurs More Often in Certain Regions and Climates
Harsher Conditions Promoting Reused Nests and Partnerships
Research shows that hummingbird faithfulness and reused nests occur more commonly in certain environments and climates. In harsher climates and higher altitude regions, the effort required to build a sturdy, insulated nest is high.
Since quality nesting sites are limited, many pairs reuse nests across seasons and even years (source).
For example, in Canada and Alaska where winters are long and frigid, ruby-throated hummingbirds exhibit nest site fidelity. Females often reuse nests built the previous year, allowing them to conserve precious energy (source). Their male mates return to the same summer breeding grounds annually.
This nest reuse and reunion promotes faithful partnerships in harsh northern climates.
Increased Energy Requirements in Colder Climates
The significant energy demands hummingbirds face in colder regions also help explain loyal behavior. To survive long migrations and winter months, adequate fat reserves and food sources are critical. This leaves less margin for poor mating choices or attempting to find new partners.
For instance, rufous hummingbirds breeding in Alaska must build substantial fat reserves. The males arrive first to stake out the best nesting areas. Research shows the same males return to the same breeding sites year after year (source).
When the females arrive days later, they often reunite with their previous male partner at his reclaimed territory. Reestablishing this bond is more efficient than attempting to find and assess a new mate.
So in harsher climates, the extra effort required to reuse nests and reconnect with previous mates promotes loyalty. This faithfulness allows hummingbirds to better endure and thrive in extreme environments.
More moderate climates may not necessitate the same level of partnership commitment and reuse from season to season.
Key Takeaways – Hummingbirds Tend to be Polygamous Overall
When it comes to hummingbird relationships, research shows that they tend to be polygamous rather than monogamous. Here are some key takeaways on the mating behaviors of hummingbirds:
Multiple Partners is Common
Most hummingbird species do not form lasting pair bonds. Instead, they mate with multiple partners during a breeding season. The male will mate with as many females as he can, while the female will also likely mate with multiple males. This promiscuous behavior helps ensure genetic diversity.
Males Don’t Provide Parental Care
After mating, the female hummingbird is left to build the nest, lay and incubate the eggs, and care for the chicks on her own. The male provides no parental care and goes off to seek other mates. This is likely why the female mates with multiple males – to increase the chances some males will sire offspring that the female alone will raise.
Territorial Behavior
Male hummingbirds are very territorial and aggressive when it comes to mating. They will chase off other males from their territory and mating sites. Females may also be territorial around nesting sites and flower resources.
Due to the high energy demands of hummingbirds, they zealously guard flower areas, essentially forcing other hummers to move on.
No Lasting Bonds
While hummingbirds may briefly and opportunistically mate with the same partner over a season, they do not form lasting pair bonds or relationships. In fact, a female may even mate with a male and then destroy his nests or eggs so she does not have to compete with his offspring for limited resources.
Exceptions Exist
While polygamy is the norm for most hummingbird species, some exceptions exist. In certain hummingbird species, the male and female are monogamous and mate for life or at least for a given breeding season. They work together to raise their young.
Examples include the hummingbird species Eugenes fulgens and Chalybura buffonii.
Conclusion
While a very small percentage of hummingbirds may reuse nests and partners or display potential monogamy, the majority of hummingbird species follow a polygamous mating strategy. Fiercely competing for food resources and exhibiting elaborate mating displays are keys to their survival across diverse environments.
Understanding the reasons behind their complex behaviors and relationships gives us a glimpse into the remarkable lives of hummingbirds. Even if they don’t form permanent romantic bonds, they continue captivating and delighting us with their flashy feathers, speedy flights, and ability to rapidly hover – sustaining their reputation as some of the most fascinating avian creatures on the planet.
