Hummingbird Migration

Many hummingbirds spend the winter in Central America or Mexico, and migrate north to their breeding grounds in the southern U.S. and westernstates as early as February, and to areas further north later in the spring. The first arrivals in spring are usually males.

Some, however, do not migrate, in areas like California and the upper Pacific coast.

The Migration Triggers

Although there are differing views in the birding community as to what triggers the start of migration, it is generally thought that hummingbirdssense changes in daylight duration, and changes in the abundance of flowers, nectar and insects. Instinct also plays a role in making the decision tomigrate.

Making the Trip

During migration, a hummingbird's heart beats up to 1,260times a minute, and its wings flap 15 to 80 times a second. Tosupport this high energy level, a hummingbird will typicallygain 25-40% of their body weight before they start migration inorder to make the long trek over land, and water.

They fly alone, often on the same path they have flown earlierin their life, and fly low, just above tree tops or water. Younghummingbirds must navigate without parental guidance.

Hummingbirds fly by day when nectar sources such as flowersare more abundant. Flying low allows the birds to see, and stopat, food supplies along the way. They are also experts at usingtail winds to help reach their destination faster and byconsuming less energy and body fat. Research indicates ahummingbird can travel as much as 23 miles in one day.

Map of Breeding Ranges of Dominant Hummingbird Species inNorth America

The map below shows the approximate breeding ranges of fourmajor hummingbird species in North America: Rufous, Anna'sBlack-chinned and Ruby-throated. Of course actual breedingareas vary by year depending on weather-related conditions andother environmental factors.

Creatures of Habit?Hummingibrds are known to return to the same location from one year to the next, even to the same feeder!

Hummingbirds ARECreatures of Habit!

First Ruby-ThroatSightings in our Yard by

Year

March 18, 2017 March 26, 2016 March 22, 2015 March 21, 2014 March 18, 2013 March 18, 2012 March 19, 2011 March 23, 2010 March 27, 2009 March 22, 2008

Ruby-throat Hummingbird Spring MigrationFirst arrivals in the spring, usually males, are back in Texas and Louisiana in late February to mid-March. In more northern states, first arrivals arenot until April or May.

The map below shows the approximate spring migration arrival dates for Ruby-throat Hummingbirds in North America.

Arrival dates vary from year to year and from location to location, depending on a number of weather-related conditions and other environmentalfactors.

The Fall Hummingbird MigrationBy August and September, hummingbirds are moving south, refueling their bodies in the early morning, traveling midday, and foraging again in thelate afternoon to maintain their body weight.

August brings lots of activity, when we have 10-20 Ruby-throated hummingbirds at a time, with peak numbers in early September when wetypically spot as many as 25-40 hummingbirds at a time as part of the fall migration. Most are Ruby Throats, with an occasional Rufous in the mixat the feeders.

Ruby Throats gather in Florida, Louisiana and along the South Texas coast in September in preparation for the final push to the south, either over theGulf of Mexico or via an overland route through Mexico.

Other species travel south down the Rocky Mountain chain into Mexico and Central America.

Winter Hummingbird Residents in the U.S.

Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) Source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Hummingbirds are overwintering on the Gulf Coast in greater numbers than in the past, and many can be found at feeders in South Texas and SouthLouisiana during mild winters.

For example, in South Louisiana, several species are often spotted during the winter months, including the Ruby-Throated, Rufous, Black-Chinned,Buff-Bellied, Calliope, Allen's, Broad-Tailed, Anna's and Broad-Billed.

A few hummingbird species are year-round residents in the warmer Pacific coastal and southern desert regions of the United States. Among theseare Anna's hummingbird, a common resident from California inland to Arizona and north to British Columbia.

Migration Patterns of Other Hummingbird Species

Of the four Pacific Northwest hummingbirds, Anna’s is the only one that doesn’t always migrate south to warmer areas in winter.

The Continental Divide is host to the greatest number and diversity of migrating hummingbirds. A nearly constant high pressure dome called the“Great Basin High” features winds that rotate clockwise and that are followed by the hummingbirds. This provides consistent tail winds to supportmigration.

Rufous, Calliope, and Black-chinned Hummingbirds migrate north up the valleys and along the foothills of the Pacific slopes of the western UnitedStates, sipping nectar from spring flowers. This route is often called the ”Pacific Flyway” or “floral highway.” They reach the Northwest in earlysummer.

As the lowland flowers begin to die off, the birds move up in elevation to the alpine meadows of the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada where theflowers are at full bloom. Then they follow the mountains of the Continental Divide south to Mexico in late summer and fall.

Rufous Hummingbirds

Rufous Hummingbirds are wide-ranging, and breed farther norththan any other hummingbird, even into southeastern Alaska. Theyare often seen in the spring in California, summer in the PacificNorthwest and Alaska, and fall in the Rocky Mountains.

They spend their winter non-breeding months in southern Mexicoespecially in wooded areas in the state of Guerrero. During theirlong migrations, Rufous Hummingbirds make a clockwise circuit ofwestern North America each year. They move up the Pacific Coastin late winter and spring, reaching Washington and BritishColumbia by May. As early as July they may start south again,traveling down the chain of the Rocky Mountains.

The map below shows the approximate spring migration arrivaldates for Rufous Hummingbirds in North America.

Arrival dates vary from year to year and from location to location,depending on a number of weather-related conditions and otherenvironmental factors.

 

Anna's Hummingbird

Anna’s Hummingbird is one of the mostcommon hummingbirds in its range. The speciesbreeds from Vancouver, Canada south tonorthern Baja California and east throughsouthern Arizona.

Anna's Hummingbird in Southern California (Courtesy of Marilyn Meadows Photography)

Source: Marilyn Meadows PhotographyFacebook | Fine Art America

 

This hardy bird is a permanent resident along the Pacific Coast, staying through the winter in many areas where no other hummingbirds are present.

Anna's hummingbirds are found along the western coast of North America, from southern Canada to northern Baja California, and inland tosouthern and central Arizona, extreme southern Nevada and southeastern Utah, and western Texas. They tend to be permanent residents within theirrange, and are very territorial. However, birds have been spotted far outside their range in such places as southern Alaska, Saskatchewan, New York,Florida, Louisiana and Newfoundland.

Anna's hummingbirds have the northernmost year-round range of any hummingbird. During cold temperatures, Anna's hummingbirds gradually gainweight during the day as they convert sugar to fat. In addition, hummingbirds with inadequate stores of body fat or insufficient plumage are able tosurvive periods of sub-freezing weather by lowering their metabolic rate and entering a state of torpor.

Costa's Hummingbirds

Costa's Hummingbirds are small North American desert birds that inhabit the western United States and Mexico, but are known to wander eastwardand as far north as Alaska and Canada.

They are closely related to the Anna's Hummingbirds.

Their most common breeding areas are the Mojave Desert, Sonoran Desert and the San Joaquin Valley of California. Their wintering areas includesouthern California south into Mexico.

Allen’s Hummingbirds

Allen's Hummingbirds winter as far south as southern Mexico. They move north up the Pacific Coast in late winter, and south through the mountainsin late summer.

A close relative of the Rufous Hummingbird, Allen's has a more limited range, nesting mostly in California.

Allen's Hummingbird (Courtesy of Marilyn Meadows Photography)

Source: Marilyn Meadows Photography Facebook | Fine Art America

 

Calliope Hummingbird (Stellula calliope) Source: By Kati Fleming (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0], via Wikimedia

Commons

Black-Chinned Hummingbirds

The Black-Chinned Hummingbird's breeding range stretches from southern British Columbia in Canada through Idaho and Nevada, south tonorthern Mexico, and from coastal California, Arizona through Texas, where they are relatively common spring and summer residents. They havealso been reported in a number of other states.

They migrate to southern California, southern Arizona, and southern Texas or Mexico for the winter.

Calliope Hummingbirds

Calliope Hummingbirds primarily breed at high elevations in the mountains of northwestern United States and Canada into Alaska. In Canada, theyoccur from southern British Columbia and Alberta, and also south to Colorado, Nevada and southern California and Arizona.

During spring and summer they travel through Arizona and New Mexico and northern Mexico, to winter in southwestern Mexico as well as inGuatemala and Belize.

 

 

Broad-Tailed Hummingbird

Broad-Tailed hummingbirds migrate north in the spring leavingbehind the non-migrant populations in central Mexico.

During spring migration, males reach southern Arizona in lateFebruary or early March, northern Arizona in early April, Colorado inlate April to late May, Wyoming in mid-May, and Idaho/SouthernMontana by late May.

After breeding, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds start their south-boundmigration into their winter range in the highlands of Mexico south toGuatemala.