Hummingbirds

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Early Spring Hummingbirds

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Every year at this time we regularly answer the question “when will the hummingbirds arrive”?

Ruby-throated hummingbirds do begin migrating into and through TN as early as the latter part of March, with the bulk of them arriving or passing through between mid-April and mid-May. We expect any day now to see on TNbird, or hear from a customer, the first reported sighting of a Ruby-throated hummingbird. Male hummingbirds tend to be the first to arrive.

Some of these early arrivals may feed for a few days before continuing on their journey to their final destination, which may be as far as Canada. Those that stay in mid-TN will then begin the task of establishing territory, courting and nesting. Their interest in feeders is minimal at this time. Why? Unless a hard freeze kills blooms and no flowers are available nature provides hummingbirds with everything they could possibly need, which is nectar from plants, and insects for protein. In fact, the first arrival at my home in Cheatam County usually spends more time at the Columbine blooms than at the feeder. Early blooming perennials and native plants are a very important nectar source for hummingbirds.

Remember, Ruby-throated hummingbirds have been making the journey to North America from central and South America to breed for roughly ten thousand years. They would come here whether we had feeders full of sugar water or not. They will come to feeders when they are ready and that typically occurs near the end of their breeding season, usually starting around late June to mid-July. People living in rural areas tend to see hummingbirds earlier and more often than people in more urban areas. Why? The simple answer is rural areas provide better and more nesting habitat for hummingbirds.

So, if you are wondering when to put up a hummingbird feeder you may do so now. However, you should temper your expectations. Do not expect to see a lot of activity. It is certainly possible you may see a bird or two take advantage of the feeder before moving on to its final destination. And it is not true that if you don’t put out a feeder now you will miss them later in the summer.

The Best Solution for Hummingbird Nectar

The best nectar you can offer hummingbirds is a simple 1 part sugar to 4 parts water solution. It is not necessary for the water to be brought to a boil before adding sugar unless you are making larger quantities for storage in the fridge. The nectar is ready after the sugar has been stirred in and fully dissolved. Do not add color in the form of food dye. Color is absolutely unnecessary and potentially harmful. Also, it is not good to use natural raw sugar, the kind that is slightly brown in color. Regular white table sugar is recommended.

Hummingbirds; the Fun is About to Start!

Here we are at the beginning of August and the time has come for Ruby-throated hummingbirds to ramp up their interest in feeders and the action will be fast and furious through the end of September until as late as mid-October.  Hummingbird migration is triggered by the days getting shorter, not necessarily temperatures or weather.  As October approaches and numbers of hummingbirds have decreased significantly it is good to keep at least one feeder out to provide late migraters a “fueling” station. It is not true that leaving a feeder out will cause hummingbirds to stay and ultimately not migrate. 

Cornell Lab offers lots of great live video streams of all different types of birds and locations. Watch more at www.allaboutbirds.org

For many of you, the spring and early summer months produce little if any activity at your feeders. Why? Let’s not forget Ruby-throated hummingbirds DO NOT make the long journey here from Central and South America for the sugar water in feeders. They DO NOT NEED the feeders but will take full advantage of them when they are through nesting and fattening up for migration becomes their primary goal. Hummingbirds have been migrating here for thousands of years to breed and to take advantage of the abundance of insects, which is their primary food source. They would be here even if hummingbird feeders did not exist.

It is thought by many the reason for this sudden surge is they have just "come back" from where they've been. Actually, it is because summer resident hummingbirds have concluded raising one to three broods of offspring and are ready to begin taking advantage of nectar in feeders.

Ruby-throated hummers usually raise two chicks at a time so when the nesting phase concludes you may be seeing at least 6 young hummers coming to feeders. Then as hummingbirds from more northern locations begin funneling through TN in late August and into September the fun really begins. Wave after wave of hummingbirds begin passing through TN on their way to the Gulf of Mexico where they will eventually find their path across.

The best nectar you can offer hummingbirds is a simple 1 part sugar to 4 parts water solution. It is not necessary for the water to be brought to a boil before adding sugar. The nectar is ready after the sugar has been stirred in and fully dissolved. Do not add color. Color is absolutely unnecessary and potentially harmful. Also it is not good to use natural raw sugar, the kind that is slightly brown in color. Regular white table sugar is best.

Most of us hummingbird enthusiasts are also gardeners, as my wife and I are, and I wanted to share a couple of plant choices that we see the hummingbirds going to frequently in our yard.

Salvia Guaranitica “black and blue”

Lobelia Cardinalis “Cardinal flower”

Salvia Guaranitica “black and blue” and Lobelia Cardinalis “Cardinal flower”. These two plants have a prominent place in our yard and the hummingbirds adore it. The Cardinal flower is a perennial that produces intense red flowers and has been blooming for a couple of weeks now. The hummers busily visit every little flower up and down the long stalk before zipping away. The Blue and Black salvia blooms most of the summer and into the fall even after a frost. It has a dark intensely blue/purple flower that is perfectly shaped for hummingbird feeding.

Summer Hummer Notes

This week’s blog addresses a few of the questions we get on a daily basis this time of year. Without a doubt the number one question asked is “where are the hummingbirds”, or “is there something wrong with the hummingbirds this year”? The answers are the hummingbirds are here, and no there is nothing wrong. As far as we are concerned this is business as usual when it comes to the timing of hummingbird activity. Rate of feeding activity can vary year to year based on factors like excess rain, or drought. In past years, during very dry weather, we would see hummingbirds visit feeders earlier and more often for lack of natural nectar producing choices. This year there has been ample rainfall producing plenty of natural nectar opportunities. And of course hummers consume insects for the protein in their diet. There’s never a lack of insects in TN summers.

Widespread, powerful spring storms, such as the straight line winds we experienced about 2 months ago, could possibly have destroyed many hummingbirds’ nests in progress causing them to start from the beginning. And we know from experience hummingbirds are typically not extremely interested in our nectar feeders until nesting is concluded. So these two factors could cause a delay in hummingbirds looking to take advantage of feeders in areas hit hard by spring storms.

But mostly the reason hummingbirds are not seen in early summer as much as they are in the latter half of July, August, and September, is because they are here to nest and sugar water is just not critical to their normal daily lives. Any day now, though, as nesting concludes, hummers will begin to look to feeders with more interest. This is when 1 or 2 broods of babies will have left the nest, parenting responsibilities of the adult females is done, and the process of fattening up for a couple of months to prepare for migration back to Central and South America begins.

Other voiced concerns in regard to hummingbird feeders include the presence of Downy woodpeckers and House finches, two species of birds that often take advantage of the sweet water in hummingbird feeders, but not to worry, they will not deter a hummingbird. Feisty and aggressive hummingbirds are not concerned with either of these birds and will harass them until they leave, or move over.

Bees and wasps on the other hand can be a problem, particularly Yellow jackets.  Hummers are no match for a feeder covered with this aggressive bee.  Strategies to reduce the impact of bees on hummingbird feeders include: 

  • Take the feeder down for a few days, or move the feeder to a different location.  Hummingbirds seem to be better at discovering the new location easier than bees. 

  • It is believed bees and wasps are most attracted to the color yellow. Since many hummingbird feeders have yellow plastic "flowers" or other parts, try removing such parts or painting them red - once bees learn where food is, they fly back to the hive to report their findings, so avoiding their attention works best.

  • It may also help to rub a little vegetable oil or a clove of garlic around the feeding ports.

  • The Aspects brand Hummzinger, or the Bird’s Choice Hummerfest are the best feeders of choice to deter bees.  It’s “dish” design never allows the nectar to touch the feeding ports like bottle type feeders.  Hummingbirds can easily reach the bottom of these feeders with their long tongues.

Aspects Hummzinger High View available in 8, 12, 16 ounces.

Birds Choice Hummerfest available in 8 and 12 ounces.

Make no mistake, though, the hummingbird activity at feeders is very close to being very busy. If you have been disappointed in the response to your feeders thus far and given up now is the time to make some new nectar, clean up the feeder, and get it back out. If the sugar solution in your feeder turns cloudy, it's spoiled and needs to be replaced. This can happen in as little as two days in the kind of heat we are experiencing this week.

And a reminder that the proper solution is 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. Do not add color or honey which can be harmful.

Have a nice weekend and we’ll see you soon.

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Spring and Early Summer Hummingbirds

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We’re seeing a lot of new faces in the store these days and in many cases we have our regular customers to thank for spreading the word about The Wood Thrush Shop. Thanks, everyone!

All of our summer resident Ruby-throated hummingbirds are here and beginning, or well into, their first nesting of the season. Like Bluebirds they all don’t start nesting at the same time. There could be as much as a month difference in the first nesting phase between the earlier arrivals in March and April and the later arrivals in late April and May. The nesting phase is the reason people generally see far less of hummingbirds now as opposed to July through September. Hummingbird feeders are not in high demand at this time and will serve only for quick visits and a brief drink. When nesting is near conclusion in mid to later July that is when hummers begin visiting feeders with frequency and with intent to fatten up for the long migration back to Central and South America.

With that in mind keep fresh nectar in the feeder but do not fill to capacity. Small amounts are recommended now to decrease waste and major cleaning of feeders. In warmer weather nectar is only good for 3-4 days at a time.

Obviously, birds are beautiful creatures but it’s their behavior that really grabs my attention. This time of year there are so many interesting bird courtship displays that are worthy of looking for. Recently, while sitting on the porch watching over my yard I witnessed a behavior of male hummingbirds that you must look for. Adult males will fly in a big, vertical U-shaped pattern while trying to impress a female perched nearby. It is mind boggling to see as you can imagine the complexity of flying sideways and up and down rapidly. The male completes this large U pattern between 5 and 7 times before resuming his bossy ways.

Males and females have little to do with one another outside of actually mating. Females build the nest, handle all the incubation duties, and raise the babies.

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Late Summer and Early Fall Hummingbirds

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Wow! My hummingbird feeders have been working overtime for a week and a half now. Yesterday evening my wife and I estimated approximately 50 hummingbirds swarming the 5 visible feeders on our back porch. This morning we saw the same thing. It was hovering room only. There is no doubt that we are experiencing the peak of hummingbird activity which means we will soon begin to see numbers of hummingbirds dwindling with each day that passes. As the days grow shorter hummingbirds will instinctively feel the urge to go. For now, though, we are thoroughly enjoying the action. And I am paying very close attention in case a different kind of hummingbird appears. Recently, a friend of mine in the western most part of Bellevue had a confirmed Rufous hummingbird at her feeders.

Rufous Hummingbird

The Rufous is a summer resident of the west coast, mainly from central California all the way up into northwest Canada. Like the Ruby-throated hummingbird they migrate back to Central America and Mexico and along the Gulf coast to Florida for the winter. However, each year small numbers of Rufous hummers appear in southern states including TN. Late August and September are the months they tend to appear, or at least be seen. Some Rufous hummers have been known to stay in mid TN most of a winter.

The adult male Rufous is quite distinguishable with its rufous (reddish brown) back, flank, rump and tail. The head and crown are even darker brown to red, a red face, and bright red gorget and white breast. Pic of Male and Female Rufous

Male Rufous

Female Rufous

Adult females have a green back and crown with hints of rufous on the flanks. A central grouping of red spots may be visible on the white throat. Juvenile males and females will look very much like the adult female with the exception of the red spots. A lone juvenile Rufous would be difficult to notice amongst a group of Ruby-throated hummingbirds.

Rufous hummers are reportedly even more aggressive about guarding a food source than Ruby- throats, if you can imagine that.

The video was taken on my back porch this morning. Most of you do not get to see multiple hummingbirds on a feeder at the same time. In more rural areas it is quite common to see. Continue to keep your feeders clean and nectar fresh. You might be the next one to see a Rufous hummingbird.

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