Nature Photographers Network
This is the preserved archive of the original Nature Photographers Network. The community continues at naturephotographers.network.

Hummingbird Baths

Discussion

6 replies
Posted by Dennis Plank on June 27, 2009 at 10:50 PM
Hummingbird Baths
I was luck enough to witness a Rufous hummingbird bathing on the edge of the falls in our water feature yesterday. In discussing it later, my wife and I realized we'd seen them bathing in several different ways: I'd seen one motoring around in an old fashioned birdbath like a toy boat (it was inside minimum focus range :mad: ), we've both seen them taking showers under sprinklers-sometimes in flight, and my wife saw one bathing in a leaf that held water.

I thought it might be fun to see what kind of bathing behavior other people have observed-images available or not.

The fist image here is as-shot just before she started, so you can see the context. the next two are a closeup of her dipping her head in the stream and then a post-bath image. My apologies for the poor quality.
Posted by Dennis Plank on June 27, 2009 at 10:52 PM
In the bath, big time.
Posted by Dennis Plank on June 27, 2009 at 10:52 PM
And post-bath. :wavey:
Posted by Steve Balke on June 28, 2009 at 6:42 AM
It's surprising what these little birds will do to take a bath, Dennis. I don't have any photos of my own of them but I found an interesting short video on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFKIAcRW9F4
Posted by Dennis Plank on June 28, 2009 at 12:18 PM
Cool video, Steve. :toast:

Thanks,
Posted by Don Grall on June 29, 2009 at 12:19 PM
I also have watched Rufuos and Broad-tailed Hummers bathing at the waterfall features I've built that are very similar to yours in the same manner.
Posted by Dennis Plank on June 29, 2009 at 1:10 PM
Thanks, Don. I'm still waiting for a repeat performance here.