As the fall season settles in, many birders face the dilemma of whether to keep their hummingbird feeders up or take them down. Here’s the truth: leaving your feeders up won’t stop the hummingbirds from migrating, so don’t rush to remove them.
Even though your summer resident hummers may have already left, there are still late-migrating birds passing through. Keeping your feeders up provides these amazing little creatures with an essential energy boost for their long journey south.
This article is for general knowledge only and is based on information from online sources. Always use safe, humane practices when feeding wildlife and ensure feeders are regularly cleaned and maintained.
1. Fueling Late Migrants’ Journey South
Fall migration demands extraordinary energy from hummingbirds. These tiny travelers burn through their fat reserves at astonishing rates, sometimes losing up to half their body weight during long flights.
Your feeder serves as a crucial refueling station when natural nectar sources become scarce. The sugar solution you provide delivers instant calories that help these birds maintain their incredible metabolism, which can reach 1,260 heartbeats per minute during flight.
Many late migrants appear in September and October, making your autumn feeder maintenance a lifesaving gift.
2. Western Visitors Making Surprise Appearances
Rufous hummingbirds, those copper-coloured daredevils of the bird world, often take unusual migration routes through eastern provinces in autumn. Despite their tiny size (just 8 cm long), these feisty birds travel over 6,000 km from Alaska to Mexico.
Their journey frequently brings them to unexpected locations during September through November. Unlike our summer residents, Rufous hummingbirds can withstand temperatures several degrees below freezing.
Your maintained feeder might attract these special visitors when you least expect them.
3. Chance to Spot Rare Vagrant Species
Bird enthusiasts live for those magical moments when something extraordinary appears. Fall brings increased possibilities for vagrant hummingbirds, species well outside their normal range, to show up at your feeder.
Anna’s, Black-chinned, and even Calliope hummingbirds occasionally wander into eastern Canada during autumn migration. These rarities often follow unusual weather patterns or get pushed off course by storms.
Keeping your feeder filled might reward you with a once-in-a-lifetime sighting worth bragging about to fellow birders!
4. Complementing Natural Food Sources
Mother Nature provides dwindling nectar options as autumn progresses. Your feeder works beautifully alongside late-blooming plants like cardinal flower, autumn sage, and goldenrod to create a complete nutrition package.
Hummingbirds actually get most of their protein from tiny insects, not nectar! During fall, when insect populations decline, the reliable energy from your sugar water becomes even more vital.
This combination of natural and supplemental food helps ensure migrating hummers maintain optimal health during their challenging journey.
5. Supporting an Astonishing Natural Wonder
Did you know a ruby-throated hummingbird weighing less than a penny flies 800 km non-stop across the Gulf of Mexico during migration? This remarkable feat requires storing enough fat to double their weight beforehand.
Your autumn feeder maintenance contributes to one of nature’s most extraordinary journeys. Some of these birds will travel more than 5,000 km between their breeding and wintering grounds.
By keeping feeders up until November, you become part of the continental support system for these magnificent flying jewels.
