One bird vs. all birds

Has there ever been a reasonable or acceptable theory/explanation for the territorial activity in one location and the birds gathering around the feeders in literally swarms in another? For 15 or so years, I’ve always had the former! Always! Sometimes I would like to kill that bully. And my wife delights in showing me posted videos of hummingbirds inundating feeders! She’s evil!!Anyway, asking.(For next year.) Thanks.

I have found over the years that it takes a village when it comes to hummingbirds. The more that are present, the nicer they play. There do tend to be bullies on the fringe of the group that guards a particular plant(s), however. The picture below is when they play nice for the most part. Hard to guard over and bully a hoard.

IMAGE LINK: https://billmorris.smu​gmug.com …-All/n-HpmvMG/i-8k6DVvs/A

Bill, that all makes perfect sense, but what prompted this post was a video posted by my son-in-law’s sister. She is in NE Missouri, not that far from me, and it shows birds “swarming” around her 3 feeders. I talked to her and she is not doing anything different from me and only has out the 3 feeders. It just is what it is, I guess.
Missing our days in Texas, but those days are gone forever, I’m afraid. Sold our house in ‘16 andHarvey came thru in ‘17, but the place was largely undamaged.Port A was hit pretty hard as you know, but the major damage was in the old town portion, before hurricane codes were established.
Take care and happy birding!

ardeekay wrote in post #19560230
Bill, that all makes perfect sense, but what prompted this post was a video posted by my son-in-law’s sister. She is in NE Missouri, not that far from me, and it shows birds “swarming” around her 3 feeders. I talked to her and she is not doing anything different from me and only has out the 3 feeders. It just is what it is, I guess.
Missing our days in Texas, but those days are gone forever, I’m afraid. Sold our house in ‘16 andHarvey came thru in ‘17, but the place was largely undamaged.Port A was hit pretty hard as you know, but the major damage was in the old town portion, before hurricane codes were established.
Take care and happy birding!

Rog, mine will swarm but none of them can run the other off due to the crowd. Sorry you won't make it back. I relocated last year about this time and now I'm only a two hour one way day trip to the whooping cranes. We finished building a house this summer so are ready for the cooler weather and what that brings. Take care.