Hummingbirds not migrating

I would mark this as CLOSED, but I can't figure out how. Sorry folks, I'm new to this website and haven't figured out all the features.

I took down all the feeders out in the open over a week ago. This morning the feeder 1 foot from the kitchen window was semi-slush, and the hummingbirds -plural- were still coming to it. I checked my notes, and the last two years our hard frost came later but our humingbirds left earlier. Tonight is supposed to be even colder, which should kill the last of the hummingbird flowers. I thawed out the feeder, increased the sugar concentration to lower the freezing temperature. I will wait for warmer flying weather next week, then take the feeder down. Has anyone else run into this problem? I usually take the feeders down after they have left on their own.



This message was edited Oct 25, 2009 10:28 AM

We have a few hummingbirds that stay here year round in Portland Oregon. I know we are warmer than you during the winter but we still can get freezing temps. The Audubon Society told me some hummers won't migrate. When we get several days of freezing temps I wrap the feeder with heat tape (what you'd wrap around pipes to keep them from freezing). Last year was the worst winter we'd had here in at least 60 years and the hummingbirds never left. They roosted in the bushes nearest the feeder.

Here's a pic that was posted on this forum a long while ago (January 2004), I fear I forget who posted it . . . and it was a long way below freezing. The bird made it right through to March or April before heading off to its summering grounds elsewhere.

Resin

Just amazing those tiny birds can survive those temperatures.

I have a feeder just like the one in the photo, and it didn't freeze two nights in a row. The bigger one, 1 foot from window, froze both nights - even with the higher sugar concentration. I think maybe I'll will try and get another window mount feeder. I don't mind feeding the birds through October, but I don't think it would be wise to encourage them to stay all winter. Colorado weather is very variable - in Janualry we often have a week of "shirt-sleeve" weather, but also have a week of 0F nights "Parka" weather, too. So I think I will take the feeders down whever we are expecting 2-3 nice days in a row.
LoreenH: Do your winter Hummers get by on feeders alone? Or do you have flowers? I go up into the mountains in the spring, and the Hummingbirds arrive when the oak are in bud - not a wildflower in sight. I am convinced they eat oak pollen/sap until the flowers start to bloom - but I've never heard of any one else coming to the same conclusion.

Pollengarden - I thought my winter hummers relied on feeders but I've only left mine up the last 3 or 4 years after seeing them here all winter; there may be other people in the neighborhood that keep theirs up too. The people I've talked to at the Audubon Society have told me the hummingbirds also eat insects and know where to find them during the winter. I've seen them flying around trees and bushes that have no flowers so they must be getting bugs.

Happy ending. I was waiting for 2-3 predicted nice days - I had planned to take the feeders down mid-morning the 1st day. I thought that would give them time to warm up, fuel up, and still have time to "take the hint" and head south. I postponed one day because my supposed nice day had 2 birds huddled under the eaves watching the rain come down. But they must have left on their own when it cleared off, because when I went out the next day (today) to take down the feeders they were already gone - I haven't heard or seen one all day. Since the birds came to the same conclusion I did, slightly before I did - I guess that makes me truly bird-brained.