Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire When do you stop feeding Hummingbirds?

I've been told that if you leave the food out some of them won't migrate and will stay too long and could bite it when it gets too cold.

Aka leaving food out winter kills hummers ?

Spot

When they get as big as bald eagles ? ? ? ? ?

Not true for most birds, apparently including hummingbirds.

The timing and direction of migration is genetic. From a practical standpoint, if a bird as tiny as a hummingbird waited until it was HUNGRY to try and migrate, it would already be too late, so much fat do they need to fuel the journey.

Do hummers linger at late feeders? Yepper, apparently the ones with bad instructions, woulda stayed anyhow.

Eventually the winter catches up with most. Either they cannot eat enough to stay warm, or they don't get the insect protein they need along with all that sugar.

Birdwatcher

Here in San Diego we have year 'round "locals" and migrants. I have two feeders going, and the use rate varies with the time of year. The climate is very mild.

jim

You also may be topping off birds from farther north than you as they migrate through. I have read that "force them to leave" theory, and never held to it. If you deprive them of food before they are fat enough, you also doom them.

We had a dozen or so swarming our feeders for the past three weeks, the parents and chicks of the three or four neighborhood families. This week, all but three or four left us.

I leave the feeders up until I haven't seen a bird for at least a week. That means mid-Sept for me here in northern Utah.

The earlier of: (a) when they go away; or (b)when the black bears hit the feeders.

I have read this about hummers staying too long in KS, but I don't know. What I do know is that Hummers come here in late April/May. They will leave through June and return in July. We keep our feeders out through out the fall. We stop feeding when they stop coming to the feeders. Good luck.

I leave mine up until it starts freezing .. so about two more weeks . They usually show up in early June, funny seeing them hang out on the feeder during a snow storm ( I put a couple under the eves out of the weather).

same here as stormin' norman. I had hummers on my flowers and at the feeders today, just like since early may. Normally the last one I see in in early to mid sept.

By the second week in August almost all are gone from central BC,the adults first and this years young last.I saw the last one about a week ago,and took the feeders down today.From where I am they have a long way to migrate!We get three species here,Rufous,Calliope's and Black Chinned.I won't see them again til next May. Monashee

I saw some today at my feeders that had white on the top of their head. Almost looked like a bald spot. I haven't noticed it before but they may have been here all along. Had a bunch swarming. miles

This time last week we had several. All we have seen for three or four days one female. She will have feed as long as she remains.

having feeders available will not prevent hummers from migrating. that "old saying" has been around for many years and has repeatedly been proven incorrect. i leave feeders out until i haven't seen a hummer for at least 2 weeks (and sometime a month), as not all migrate at the same time through a given area.

The set their own schedule. One day there's lots. Next day a couple. Next day none. At least that's my observed experience.

Why do Hummingbirds Hum?

They forgot the words.

Smarty pants.

We still have them buzzing around here in the Grand Rapids MI area. I haven't put out a single feeder as my wife and her over ambitious flower garden has kept them quite happy. Although the Yoopers may be two weeks to a month ahead of us with the cold snap as usual. Once the migration begins with the starlings and grackles I take all my feeders in so I don't promote lingering.

Most will leave here by end of September. I will leave the feeders up for a week after that. Currently, we have lots of Hummers, both local and migrates.