I have read in the past about the dangers of leaving the feeders out too long. The hummers are deprived of the natural waning of the nectar and a change in the quality, which is their way of knowing when to migrate. But I don't know of a good source for this information. Does anyone know the best way to begin cutting back so they won't get trapped in cold weather?
Question answered, very good!
This message was edited Sunday, Sep 7th 11:26 PM
Hummingbirds' migration
I REALLY DON'T HAVE THE ANSWER, BUT I DO WORRY ABOUT THEM.
You don't have to worry about that. Leave your feeders up & read the following link under 'When to take down the Feeder' near the bottom of the page.
http://www.hummingbirds.net/feeders.html
also look at the 13th question down on right hand side of this page
http://www.hummingbirds.net/
Thank you broots. The links were very informative. I wish bats would try my feeders, but we have only Little Browns here. They sleep behind the shutters and poop into the flower beds. With all the bugs they eat, where's the problem?
Gosh Frankay, bat poop......you are a lucky person. Supposed to be good stuff.
I leave my hummer feeders up until I haven't seen a hummer in a week or so. So far, they always know when to leave.
Leaving feeders up will not stop the hummers from migrating.
The only way would be to put then in a gage. Some hummers do not migrate, probably for health reasons, but this is less than 1%. If you want a wintering hummer, I would leave a feeder out all yr. I generally have a wintering hummer every other yr, and some yrs have had several.
Hummer_nut, I agree that this is okay in the South, but in those states where temperatures drop extremely low, this sounds unwise. I need to just shut up, bite the bullet and try to find whatever I have read about this. Puter time isn't comfortable for me, but I started something I need to conclude here, didn't I? And soon, because it's unbelievably soon that the Northern states will be seeing the first snows. I shall return.
Rufous hummers have been found during winter months in all of the continential US. In northern states, you have to be creative in leaving your feeders out. Several ways to keep your feeder from freezing: place a flood light about a foot away from the feeder, I have done this when we had temps below freezing for a week at a time, and the hummer I had would just sit at the feeder in the mornings and warm up; 2nd, you could wrap the feeder with electrical pipe tape. Another way, if you are at home all day, would be to rotate several feeders during the day. Keep one out until it almost freezes, then replace with one from inside, in really cold weather this could be labor intensive. If you do not leave a feeder out during the winter, then you have close to a zero chance of having the pleasure of seeing a winter hummer. Even with a feeder out during the winter, any hummer you have will leave when it decides to. Nothing you do can prevent them from leaving.
I just read a book by a woman in upstate NY that has had them winter over in her sun porch. She is a rehabber and gets calls about injured birds or birds that have stayed too long. Really lots of information about them.
Arnette Heidcamp
Hummingbirds, My Winter Guests and
A Hummingbird in My House
Thanks so much for all the links you guys provided me. I was at my friend's house and saw the most amazing thing. About 30-40 ruby throated hummers feeding at the same time getting ready for their migration. It was an incredible sight. We had discussed whether they should quit feeding them etc. Your links gave us the answers.
To think that these little guys here in Missouri have migrated from a more northern location and are passing through!
Hey Larry, they are back!!!!! I counted three last week, four on sat. five yesterday and at least six today!
Kathy Jo, forty! Wow, that must have been a sight. I think hummer nut gets that many in his yard too, and my neighbor's mom does too. I get so excited about six!
I was at my friend Ruby's in MS last winter. I was helping her change the feeders because it was so cold. She told me basically what Larry said, the hummers will leave when they are ready, but the ones that are here need food so she feeds them.
Something is wrong. I am only using a 1/2 gal of sugar water a day now, should be using a gal. For some reason I do not have as many hummers as in past yrs. I probably only have 1 to 2 humdred hummers in my yard now. I hope I have some wintering friends this yr. I can think of 2 or 3 species that I would love to have over-winter in my yard. I think their migration is running a little late this yr or the females are trying to nest for a 3rd time. I think all the rain we had this summer has something to do with it.
Roz, I'm glad they finally arrived at your house. You should have 2 months of hummers flying about. I know you & Billy take a trip every Oct. You will have to get Marie to keep your feeders filled while you are gone. Maybe you can get a wintering hummer.
Larry, I sure do hope I do. We may not go anywhere this year, with gas prices so high and the motor home only gets about 5 miles to the gallon!
Aimee, an article in our local paper said it is a myth that the hummers will stay because we feed them, so I am not too worried about keeping them here too long. What I worry most about is the feeders getting too hot during the day. Even in shade, it sure does get warm. Guess that is because I do not have anywhere that does not get a little sun.
Larry, doesn't your friend tag them and write books about them? Can he tell if we have the same hummers coming back year after year, or a new group. I know the babies are new, just wondering if the adults are the same ones we had last year?
From records of catching and banding hummers, approximately 30% - 40% are return hummers from prior yrs. During the fall migration, every 10 days there is a complete turn over of hummers in your yard. Most hummers, Rubys, are only in your yard from 4 to 10 days during migration. What is even more amazing is that the hummers that survive and return to your yard in succeeding yrs will be in your yard within a 2 week period of the same time they were there before. This is truly amazing as they travel over 3,000 miles to get here and their brain is like a computer, for they remember where you had a feeder last yr. Just think, if their brain makes a mistake by 1/2 of 1 degree, they could miss your yard by several hundred miles. They may be little but they are mighty.
That is amazing information. I have hummers in my yard. They love all my flowers. Maybe I should put out a feeder for them. I love it when they dart close to me and I can hear that noise they make.
I still had my female & her young one yesterday but haven't seen them yet today. Haven't seen the male for a week. Last year they left here on Sept 13. I'm thrilled with three, I don't know what I would be like with 100+. Actually the most people get around here is about a dozen.
Hummer_nut that info really is amazing, especially the part about remembering where you had a feeder the previous year.
kell, I'm not sure, but I think you may have some hummers all year. The most likely hummers for you would be: Annas, Allens, Rufous, Calliope and maybe a few others.
broots, The Ruby Throats come to Canada only to breed. Starting in early August they start their southward migration. The adult males leave 1st, followed in 2 weeks by adult females, and then in another 2 weeks by juvenile hummers (those born this year).
In case you do not know, hummers fly as individuals, they do not fly in pairs or flocks. Like other birds thou, they follow the same migration routes that have been used by their ancestors.
Hummer_nut thanks for the info. I knew they came up here to breed but did not know that hummers fly as individuals. It just blows me away that the juvies fly all by themselves.I thought for sure they would fly with the mother. Very interesting. Thanks.
When a hummer leaves its nest, it is fully grown. Over 2 - 10 days before leaving the mother hummer will show her young about feeding. After that the young are own their own and even the mother will fight with them over a food source. Juvenile hummers will visit many different flowers and investigate anything that moves. All hummers will only visit a feeder once if the sugar water is bad or empty, they do not have the time to waste. By the way, hummers perch 60% of the time. They could not consume enough sugar to remain in flight all the time. Oh, the adult male, his only part of the whole process is to sit back and wait for a female to pick him as her sperm donor, he lives the good life, enjoying all the females he can accommodate. Other than this, he sleeps, eats and just generally enjoys life. The female is responsible for all other chores.
H_N, all this time when I saw the female & the juvie & one would chase the other away from the feeder & chatter away to beat the band, I just thought they were fooling around & conversing back & forth. I do still have one hummer left. Guess it has to be the juvie. He sure looked puffed up sitting on the feeder this morning in the cold rain. I should have known the male had the easy life. I had one get trapped in the garage this summer. I was just frantic. It took me over two hours to finally get him out. I didn't think he would survive but he returned two days after. I was so relieved when he made an appearance. Thanks so much for all your great info. Some of it is truly amazing.
I clean my feeders every other day. I know you don't have to do it that often but I feel better knowing it is fresh. When it rains, does the nectar get very diluted. I have one of the saucer type with the red top & the rim for perching all around?
Thanks for all the amazing information. I need to call my friends and see what the present count is.
Thanks for all this fascinating information. I still see one hummer feeding here this morning, a juvenile I think because I don't see the poochy tummy. We had a cold front move in overnight so it is 42 here this morning after being in the 90's during the day and about 55 most nights. I hope the little guy is well insulated. We had 6 hummers this summer but might be down to this lone bird now since I haven't heard any bickering in the past 2 days. In addition to my feeders there are hollyhocks, mums and a few late summer flowers in bloom so he still has natural food sources.
My little hummer left about a week ago. The feeders are still up, flowers in bloom, nights cold, so it must have been time. I hope he and the others remember my oasis in the desert and return in the spring to nest.
Well Hummer_nut, I still have hummers here. And yesterday I saw one that was so red I could not believe it. It left too fast though so I did not get that a good look. Usually ours are olive colored.
Kell, I would guess that it was an adult male rufous or allens. Both would look a reddish brown.
Larry
This one was vivd red! and the red seemed to cover lots of it. I am hoping it will come back this weekend when I am out there. I still have lots of blooms so it may hang around here for awhile. It was in this flower.
