Hummingbirds are amazing little creatures that bring joy to backyard birdwatchers across North America. These tiny birds have captured the fascination of people for centuries with their speedy flying abilities, their hovering at flowers, and their flashy, iridescent plumage.
Hummingbirds migrate every year, traveling hundreds or even thousands of miles between their summer breeding grounds in the United States and Canada to their winter homes in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. This migration is an incredible feat for such small birds. They make the journey over mountains, deserts, forests, and sometimes even over the Gulf of Mexico in a single nonstop flight.
Why do hummingbirds migrate?
Hummingbirds migrate to take advantage of abundant food resources and favorable breeding habitats during the summer months. In their wintering grounds, food is more limited, so they move north to take advantage of flower nectar, tree sap, and insects that are more plentiful in the summer.
By migrating, hummingbirds can breed and raise young during the ideal warm summer months. The long days of summer provide ample daylight hours for finding food. As autumn approaches and daylight hours get shorter, food becomes scarce. Cold temperatures and fewer flowers make winter survival difficult for hummingbirds, necessitating their long migration south.
When should you stop feeding hummingbirds?
Ideally, hummingbird feeders should be taken down and cleaned right before the hummingbirds naturally leave your area. This is usually in late summer or early fall. Here are some guidelines on timing:
- In northern states and Canada: Take down feeders in early-to-mid September.
- In central states: Take down feeders in late September.
- In southern states: Take down feeders in mid-to-late October.
Look for these signs that your backyard hummingbirds are getting ready to migrate:
- Greater activity at your feeders as birds stock up on energy
- Erratic feeding times
- Many birds around at once
- Higher-pitched vocalizations
- Restlessness
- Displays of aggression as birds compete for food
- A sudden disappearance of hummingbirds over just a few days
These behaviors indicate the birds are feeling the urge to migrate and that your local hummingbirds will soon depart. Once you notice such activity, plan to take down your feeders within the next two weeks.
Why take down hummingbird feeders?
It is important to stop feeding hummingbirds for the following reasons:
- Prevents stragglers getting left behind – Taking down feeders encourages birds to join the migration rather than lingering behind.
- Avoids confusion for migrating birds – Birds passing through won’t waste energy stopping if there is no food available.
- Removes reliance on artificial feeders – Hummingbirds should naturally switch to wild food sources before migration.
- Discourages disease transmission – Feeders must be cleaned to prevent spread of diseases.
- Prevents freezing or spoilage – Nectar can freeze or spoil in cold weather.
- Helps ensure return migration – Birds need proper nutrition from natural food sources for migration.
The overall goal is to gently transition hummingbirds back to feeding on natural nectar sources and to motivate them to join the proper migration south. Keeping feeders up too long into fall can disrupt this process.
How to transition hummingbirds off feeders
Here are some tips for gradually transitioning hummingbirds off your feeders:
- In mid-August, stop refilling feeders as often – this will start reducing their dependence.
- Mix nectar weaker and weaker – increase the water-to-sugar ratio over several weeks.
- Allow nectar to ferment and go bad – birds will start seeking other food sources.
- Provide fresh water for drinking if possible.
- Plant native flowers and shrubs that bloom late into fall.
- Leave feeders up for 24-48 hours after removing nectar so stragglers get the hint.
- Take down feeders on a day with good weather when birds can find alternate food.
The gradual approach prevents suddenly depriving hummingbirds of an energy source they have come to rely on. Within a few days of removing feeders, hummingbirds will adapt and switch to feeding on their own in preparation for migration.
What to do if a hummingbird is still around late in the fall
In rare cases, a lone hummingbird may linger in your yard well past when it should have migrated. There are a couple of reasons this can happen:
- The bird is old or sick and unable to make the long migration.
- The bird is confused by the presence of feeders and abundant food.
- The bird is a rufous hummingbird, a species that migrates later than ruby-throats.
Here’s what to do if a hummingbird remains in your yard in late fall after you’ve removed your feeders:
- Leave it alone – the bird knows winter is coming and will eventually move on.
- Do not put feeders back out – this only delays migration further.
- Provide clean fresh water for drinking.
- Plant some late-blooming flowers.
- Make sure there are adequate natural food sources nearby.
- Report banded birds to researchers to help track migration.
- Consider capturing and rehabilitating injured or starving birds.
With luck the hummingbird will regain strength or realize it needs to move on. Only in extreme cases should a lingering hummingbird be captured for rehabilitation or release farther south.
Conclusion
Paying close attention to the behavior of hummingbirds in your yard is the best way to determine when it’s time to take down your feeders. Look for increased activity and restlessness as signals that they are preparing to migrate. Taking down feeders at the appropriate time encourages hummingbirds to transition back to natural nectar sources and motivates them to join the annual migration.
With a little planning, you can wind down your hummingbird feeding season in a way that still provides them energy while also supporting their amazing migration journey. The reward will be having healthy, hardy hummingbirds return to your yard again next spring.