Hummingbirds may fly close to you because they are looking for food sources, or want to scan your face to familiarize themselves with you.
Hummingbirds are among the smallest birds out there; yet, they aren’t afraid of getting close. If you’re the one to restock the
The simple answer is—they’re getting to know you or need more food. They may also fly toward you if you wear bright colors, or if you’re close to their nest. Keep reading to learn how to recognize their intention and see whether hummingbirds simply want a refill or they’re trying to defend themselves.
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Spiritual Hummingbird Meaning
These tiny birds are a known synonym for good luck and hope. They’re colorful, vibrant, lively, and sweet, so they get romanticized often. Hummingbirds can also symbolize the presence of loved ones who passed.
They’re considered a bringer of good news from the other realms sent by your spirit guides. Hummingbirds are believed to be power animals since they’re adaptable to various conditions.
Most Native Americans see this bird as a positive spirit animal and the ancient Mexicans believed hummingbirds are related to the Aztec god Huitzilopochtli. As a totem, hummingbirds represent love and light.
What Does It Mean When a Hummingbird Comes Close to You?
If a hummingbird visits you, it’s generally considered a sign of a good omen. They consider you to be a trusting and peaceful individual. As stated above, hummingbirds also signify a greeting or a message from your loved ones that passed.
Alternatively, if you’ve been feeding hummingbirds, chances are they got used to your presence. Having them approach you could mean that they want their food restocked or filled if they ate it all.
Wearing bright colors can also get the hummingbirds to remember you faster. The color red is especially helpful, but other shades will work wonders too.
If you often wear these colors, don’t be surprised if a hummingbird flies by you every time you’re outside—they’re attracted by what you wear.
What Do Hummingbirds Do When They Come Close to You?
Experienced birdwatchers know that hummingbirds might fly into their face when they’re expecting food. They might ask for a fresh food supply and remind you they’re hungry.
On the other hand, if this is your first hummingbird season and you just got your feeders out, hummingbirds are probably getting to know you better.
Do Hummingbirds Get Attached to Humans?
Hummingbirds belong to the inquisitive type of birds and tend to remember their territory in great detail. For example, they know each of the flowers they visited and when it will get refilled with nectar again.
Being part of a larger ecosystem, they also tend to remember their surroundings and will react to anything new. If you’re the new thing in their territory, they’ll do their round of flying around you to see if they can trust you.
With care and affection, you can get them to trust you. So much so in fact, that they’ll eat from the palm of your hand.
Can Hummingbirds Recognize You?
Hummingbirds are super smart—their hippocampus is five times larger than one of a songbird. This is why they’ll likely remember you if you’re a homeowner and always around their bird feeder.
They will remind you to restock their nectar or replace it if it’s gone bad. If you notice a hummingbird is persistent in flying near you, they likely want you to feed them.
Do Hummingbirds Attack People?
Hummingbirds know how small they are, and are definitely aware of your size. This is why they will never attack humans. However, they could be all into your face if they want you to fill up their feeders.
Still, keep in mind that hummingbirds will try to defend themselves if they feed endangered. You’ll notice there are several steps in hummingbird defense, but they’ll usually use these to fight off other hummingbirds:
- they’ll start with loud, fast chirping and buzzing
- they may make themselves look larger, hummingbird feathers might get fluffy, or they might spread their wings
- one hummingbird may suddenly dive among others, which is common around feeders
- if the intruder stays put, the hummingbird will try to chase it away
- fighting is the last and most aggressive step, where hummingbirds will pluck one’s feathers with beaks
Female hummingbirds are aggressive while defending baby hummingbirds. Still, the most they can do is fly around you to express they want you to move away from the nest.
The Most Aggressive Hummingbirds Out There
Overall, male hummingbirds will be more aggressive, especially during mating season. They’ll defend food sources, breeding territory, and feeders. Female hummingbirds defend nests and little birds.
Some species of hummingbirds are more aggressive than others, regardless of their small body weight. For example, Calliope hummingbirds are great fighters, while male Ruby-throated hummingbird may flaunt its gorget to show off the color. Still, the title of the most aggressive hummingbird in the US belongs to the Rufous hummingbird.
One of the main reasons for hummingbird aggression lies in the feeding process. Hummingbirds need to eat approximately every 20 minutes, so they can’t risk losing a feeding territory. This is why they’ll do whatever they can to chase off other hummingbirds. The other reason for aggression — establishing the mating territory.
Can You Prevent the Hummingbird Attacks?
In case you’re worried about hummingbirds attacking you, you can simply stop feeding them. They’ll likely move to someone else’s garden for the additional food source.
If you still want to keep them, but don’t want them fighting one another, make sure to plant additional red flowers and other native plants. Scatter them around your garden so each hummingbird can find separate feeding grounds.
Increase the number of feeders in your yard, and separate them. Keep track of the aggression levels and add more if needed. More feeders mean fewer hungry hummingbirds, so in time, your garden should become an oasis of peace among the hummingbirds.
Unfortunately, there’s nothing you can do about the mating fights, so you should leave the hummingbirds alone. In many ways, those represent a natural selection and only the toughest hummingbird will get to extend his line.
Still, if you’re sorry to see male hummingbirds hurt, you can try yelling. Some report that raising your voice and telling them to stop as soon as the fight starts made them quit it.
Hummingbird Flying Near Faces
Hummingbirds are among the smartest wild birds and they’ll happily visit your garden if you set out some nectar feeders. They will also memorize every flower and feeder location, and fight for it viscously if necessary.
Still, they will rarely attack people. If they do fly in your face, that’s likely because they want to get to know you or you’re wearing bright colors. If you’re usually outside and responsible for replacing the sugar water, they might get all over you to let you know they need more.
Regardless of the reason, know that hummingbirds will never attack you. They know how small they are so they’re just trying to get your attention.