This is an odd story about a hummingbird that (seemingly) fell in love with our cat last summer.
And, if you are a hummingbird fan, also see:
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I was looking after my daughter’s cats last summer. They are house cats but they do enjoy some bird watching. We have a screened patio so I would let them sit out there during the day.
I keep hummingbird feeders right by the screened window so I can enjoy the hummers while I’m working.
One day, while the cats were in front of the patio door, I noticed one hummer fly down from the feeder and hover by the ground in front of the door. It was as if she wanted to get a better look at Bobo (the cat on the right, below).
I’ve had hummers do this with me while I’m working in the garden. I don’t have any food to offer but one will occassionally come right up near my face and just hover there, as if to have a better look. Twice they’ve even landed on my hand. I thought perhaps this hummer was curious like that.
The next day I noticed the same hummer again hovering down by the door by the cats, and then she would go rest on a branch nearby, still looking at Bobo.
Eventually, Bobo jumped up on the windowsill, not really noticing the hummer nearby. It was nearly impossible to get both the hummingbird and Bobo in the same shots with my phone camera, but I did get a few.
As soon as Bobo got on the windowsill, the hummer was excited, flying right over to the mesh screen to have a closer look. I circled the hummer here:
Again, Bobo displayed no hunting instincts. She’d look at the hummer for a moment and then continue daydreaming.
But the hummer just kept coming over. Bobo would hear the hum of the wings go by and look around trying to figure out if a big fly was nearby. (She catches flies.).
I think the hummer wanted a branch to land on right in front of the window so she could be with her new BFF. She was downright flirty.
I’m familiar with territorial behaviour with hummingbirds: when they dive bomb and chase each other (or other birds and bees) if there’s a perceived threat to food or a mate, but this was not like that. This hummer just seemed to want to be as close to Bobo as possible.
The windowsill is quite narrow, so, when Bobo would get uncomfortable and jump down, the hummer would return to the patio door to see if she was there. This went on for four days in a row until Bobo went home (I was cat-sitting). I felt bad breaking up the couple: although Bobo seemed to have no idea what was going on, the hummingbird seemed deeply smitten.
After Bobo was gone, the hummer kept checking for her several times a day for around a week. So sad!
Have you ever had a hummer act like this?
~Melissa the Empress of Dirt ♛
I have a hummingbird doing the same thing with my cat right now. Its so cute! My cat is just allowed outside in the back yard and the little hummer comes down about 3 feet away over and over as to say hello.
What a sweet story. The hummingbirds around here are very scared of everything. I have to sit still in an area for quite awhile to get a photo of them.
Could it be dogs that make them nervous? Maybe mine think I’m a big bird or something. Some days they fly right into me!
my father tells of watering his garden with a hose in California when along comes a hummingbird who hovers near him. Assuming the bird is thirsty, my father turns the hose toward it. The hummingbird flits about in the falling water, then starts to fly off, pausing briefly close to my father, as if to say thank you.
And thank YOU for this charming story.
I’ve see that too: they do love a misting of water. Thanks for sharing, Diana. 🙂
We don’t have hummingbirds here in Ireland so were enthralled when we visited New Mexico a few years ago and saw them close up. I shot some brief video as a reminder but hearing tales of them still makes me smile 🙂
They are very interesting birds! While territorial, they can also be very (seemingly) affectionate or curious. Glad you enjoyed it. 🙂