As fall approaches and the weather gets cooler, many hummingbird owners wonder when is the right time to stop feeding their favorite backyard visitors. Knowing when to take down your feeders is important to support hummingbirds on their annual migration journey. Here are some tips on identifying the signs that indicate it’s time for hummingbirds to move on and how you can continue to support them.
Why Do Hummingbirds Migrate?
Hummingbirds migrate every year to take advantage of optimal food resources, habitats, and nesting conditions as the seasons change. During spring and summer, hummingbirds thrive in northern regions where wildflowers are in bloom and insects are abundant. As winter approaches, food becomes much scarcer in colder climates. To survive, hummingbirds must travel south to warmer areas where they can continue finding nectar-rich flowers and small insects to eat. Their migration is triggered by hormonal changes brought on by the decreasing daylight hours of late summer and fall. While some hardy species may stick it out through early frosts, by late autumn it is essential for hummingbirds to complete their journey to their wintering grounds further south where resources are more plentiful.
How Do You Know When Hummingbirds Have Left Your Area?
Here are some of the key signs that indicate your local hummingbird population has migrated out of your neighborhood:
- You haven’t seen any hummingbirds coming to your feeders for over a week
- Nighttime temperatures are consistently 50°F or below
- Most flowers have finished blooming for the season
- There’s been a steady progression of chilly fall weather and frost
In northern regions, most ruby-throated hummingbirds will depart by late September or early October. Rufous hummingbirds leave more northern nesting grounds as early as July. In warmer southern areas, some Anna’s and Allen’s hummingbirds may stick around through winter. Pay attention to your local climate patterns and activity at your feeders to gauge when your last hummingbirds have likely flown south.
Should I Stop Feeding Hummingbirds at My Feeders?
Here are some recommendations on when to take down your hummingbird feeders in fall:
- In northern areas, discontinue feeding by early-to-mid October or when you no longer see any hummingbird activity
- In southern areas, keep feeders up through November and discontinue use by early December or once hummingbird visits cease
- Take down feeders if daytime temperatures drop below freezing for an extended period and any liquid nectar could freeze
It’s important to remove feeders once local hummingbirds have migrated so you don’t accidentally encourage any stragglers or passage migrants to stick around when they should continue their journey south. Any remaining hummingbirds may struggle to survive if they delay migration too long. Taking down feeders helps give them the cue to move on.
Should I Clean My Hummingbird Feeder Before Storing?
Before storing your hummingbird feeder for the winter, be sure to thoroughly clean it with a diluted bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water). This will kill any mold, bacteria or fungi that could grow inside the feeder during months of storage. Rinse all bleach residue off completely before storing.
What is the Best Way to Store a Hummingbird Feeder?
Follow these tips for proper hummingbird feeder storage over winter:
- Take feeders apart and let all components air dry fully before storing
- Store in a dry indoor location away from direct sunlight and freezing temperatures
- You can pack feeder bases with crumpled newspaper or dry cloth to absorb excess moisture
- Seal nectar tanks, bases, and feeding ports to prevent bugs, dirt, or mold during storage
- Keep separate from chemical cleaning supplies or gasoline to prevent contamination
Should I Leave My Hummingbird Feeder Up Without Nectar?
It’s best to take your hummingbird feeder fully down once you stop feeding birds rather than leave it up empty. A feeder without nectar could encourage migrating hummingbirds to hang around your yard waiting in vain for a meal instead of continuing their journey. However, you can leave nectar feeders up 2-3 days after the last hummingbirds are spotted in case any late migrating stragglers pass through.
What Can I Plant to Help Migrating Hummingbirds?
You can support migrating hummingbirds on their journey by landscaping your yard with late-blooming nectar flowers. Good fall hummingbird plants include:
- Cardinal Flower
- Cuphea
- Firebush
- Salvia
- Honeysuckle
- Fall-blooming Trumpet Vine
- Fuchsia
Choose native plant species whenever possible. Add a diverse range of plants with different bloom times to supply nectar through the entire fall season up until frost. Plant clusters of the same flowers together to make it easier for hummingbirds to locate and move between plants.
Should I Leave My Orioles Feeders Up?
Baltimore and orchard orioles have similar migration patterns to hummingbirds. Take down your sugary oriole nectar feeders on the same schedule as hummingbird feeders in your area. You can leave up orange slices or grape jelly a bit longer through October to help migrating orioles refuel. Clean and store oriole feeders over winter just like hummingbird feeders.
What About Leaving Up a Heated Hummingbird Feeder?
Heated hummingbird feeders can prevent nectar from freezing in extremely cold weather. However, experts recommend against leaving heated feeders up through winter. The artificial heat source could prevent hummingbirds from leaving when they should migrate. It’s better to just take feeders down once most hummingbirds have left your area and blooming plants are no longer available.
Other Ways to Prepare Your Yard for Hummingbird Migration
Making your yard welcoming for migrating hummingbirds goes beyond having the right flowers and feeders. Here are some other tips:
- Provide insects: Leave dead wood, leaf litter, and other natural materials to encourage insect populations hummingbirds can eat.
- Offer fresh water: Birdbaths, fountains, or drippers give hummingbirds a place to drink and bathe.
- Limit pesticide use: Choose organic methods to give hummingbirds natural food sources.
- Supply cover: Trees, shrubs, and brush piles provide shelter for resting hummingbirds.
- Remove hazards: Keep windows and fences clear to avoid collisions.
When Do Hummingbirds Return in Spring?
Be ready to put your clean feeders back up in early spring once hummingbirds begin returning to your area from their wintering grounds. In most northern regions, hung feeders back up in early April to welcome back arrivals. Further south, hummers may show up sooner in late March. Female hummingbirds typically lead the way, followed a few weeks later by males.
Signs Hummingbirds Have Returned to Your Area
Watch for these clues that hummingbirds are back in your neighborhood and ready for nectar feeders:
- Seeing the first hummer investigating your yard or feeder
- Spotting males performing aerial displays and making high-pitched chirps to attract females
- Trees and early-blooming flowers begin flowering
- Daytime highs reach into the 60s F
- Insects, spiders, and other small bugs become active
Male hummingbirds returning from migration are eager to fuel up, so having your feeders ready for them is key. Welcome back your feathered friends by offering fresh nectar as soon as you spot any arrivals.
Conclusion
Caring for hummingbirds extends beyond just the busy summer months. With the right steps, you can also support hummingbirds during the critical fall migration season. Pay attention to activity at your feeders, plant late blooms, and properly store feeders to help hummingbirds move on to winter grounds safely. Show your appreciation for these incredible migrants by giving them the resources they need to thrive year-round.