Farther inland, a December bird lingered near Athens, Georgia. This species is becoming fairly regular along the Gulf of Mexico in winter. © Wendy Miller / Flickrīlack-chinned hummingbirds breed from southern British Columbia to central Texas. In December 2021 one was banded in Cincinnati, Ohio. The west coast rufous doppelgänger, Allen’s hummingbird shows up regularly in the east. Highlights for the fall and winter of 2021 are numerous. In many instances, the birds become highly sought after, but it is always essential to respect both the birds as well as the human hosts and neighbors. These rarities cause quite a stir in the birding community. Infrequent but regular occurrences, a number of other hummingbirds show up far outside their expected ranges no matter the season. This helps them survive long winter nights without food.Īlthough rufous hummingbirds are the most frequent winter stragglers, they aren’t the only surprise visitors. Some hummingbird species, including rufous have the ability to enter a short hibernation-like state called torpor. on December 4.Īlthough this individual wasn’t banded, other winter hummingbirds have been marked and some of them return year after year, so Laura has confidence this bird likely survived. After a relatively warm day spent feeding feverishly, the little rufous was last spotted at 3:48 p.m. Laura even invested in a heated hummingbird feeder.
HUMMINGS BIRD IN OHUIO YET FULL
“Several times since my hummingbird arrived, I’ve asked her how she makes these minute-by-minute and day-by-day decisions about where to be and what to eat, but so far she’s not talking,” Erickson continued on another post.Įrickson and her neighbors were diligent about keeping hummingbird feeders full and thawed. This rufous hummer lingered for weeks in her neighborhood. © Laura Erickson / Flickr (used with permission) That could certainly force her hand, or wing, but I’m trusting that she knows how autumn unfolds into winter and understands what her migratory options are better than we do.” A rufous hummingbird. On her blog, Laura says, “People keep telling me to bring in my feeders to hasten her on her way. Another of the western wanderers arrived in her yard this winter. From November 16 – December 3, 2004, Erickson’s yard was frequently visited by a rufous hummingbird. Renowned birder, author, and radio host Laura Erickson of Duluth, Minnesota, has struck winter rufous gold twice now. Rufous hummingbirds have been documented in all 50 states.
Rufous generally migrate to the west of the Rocky Mountains, but in winter they are the most widespread drifters to the east. They are often considered the hardiest of the hummers. Rufous hummingbirds are the only species that regularly breed in Alaska. © Laura Erickson / Flickr (used with permission) Hearty Northerners Since nearly all the ruby-throated hummingbirds have cleared out of the east by October 15, birds encountered in winter could be any number of species. It is thought that ornamental plantings might be aiding winter hummingbird survival along the Gulf Coast states and up the Atlantic seaboard. Increasingly, hummingbirds are being documented in the U.S. Most ruby-throated hummingbirds winter from southern Mexico to Costa Rica. The eBird animation she shares provides a stunning visual of this fall movement wrapping west through Texas and into Mexico. The Yucatan Peninsula works like a funnel for northbound birds, but that’s not the case for hummingbirds headed south from their breeding range. Ruby-throated Hummingbird in Monongahela National Forest area near Dry Fork, West Virginia. For fall migration, Sheri Williamson, author of A Field Guide to the Hummingbirds of North America highlights that the birds seem to be going around the Gulf. In the springtime, ruby-throated hummingbirds have been documented crossing the Gulf of Mexico on an 18 to 24-hour nonstop journey. The earliest of migrants start pushing south by late July. The ruby-throated hummingbird is the species that regularly breeds from the Great Plains to the Atlantic. Any late stragglers could very well be unexpected species. Other people prefer to keep feeders going well into winter, and for good reason. Instead, many experts recommend maintaining hummingbird feeders for at least 2 weeks after you’ve seen the last one in your yard. It’s a myth that leaving your feeders up will prevent birds from migrating. While the first hummingbird sighting in the spring is always cause for celebration, the last report of autumn-or even winter-can be equally exciting, especially in the eastern United States.
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