It's The End of March. Where Are the Hummingbirds?
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have been reported as far north as Oklahoma and Arkansas and from Missouri into Tennessee. Just a few sightings coming in from South Carolina both along the coast and on the border with Tennessee.
The Migration Front Lines
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds have been reported as far north as Oklahoma and Arkansas and from Missouri into Tennessee. Just a few sightings coming in from South Carolina both along the coast and on the border with Tennessee.
From Hernando, MS: Christine submitted her first male Ruby-throated hummingbird sighing on 03/27/2020.
From Sequatchie, TN: Julie exclaimed, “First male of the season! Welcome home!” (03/26/202)
From Batesville, AR: Quentin saw his first Ruby-throated hummingbird sitting in river birch tree behind his house on a warm sunny day. (03/26/2020) Link to report
From Guthrie, OK: Judy had her “feeders out for two weeks, refreshed each week and today I’m sitting on the patio and it zoomed in!” (03/26/2020) Link to report
From Piedmont, SC: Candice “saw my first male ruby throat at the feeder this morning. Just as I was getting ready to take the pic, off he went. So excited!” (03/26/2020) Link to report
From Ladson, SC: Sheana wrote “So excited!! Hung out for 30 seconds and flew away.” (03/26/2020) Link to report
From Anderson, SC: Jan reported one “healthy male. First one for the season. He was back again today and still alone.” (03/25/2020) Link to report
Rufous hummingbirds are still hovering along the Pacific Coast with the majority of sightings reported by Journey North citizen scientists in British Columbia, Canada, Oregon and Washington.
From Bend, OR: Tom exclaimed “Whooppee! First rufous after I put out my feeder this morning.” (03/22/2020) Link to report
From Naches, WA: Mark welcomed back to Eastern Washington a “male Rufous on back feeder by the Naches river about 30 miles west of Yakima WA. He is about 2 weeks early and took a very long drink. Last year we had our first ever family of Anna Hummingbirds. Finally left our area late October/Early November. (03/23/2020) Link to report
From Monroe, WA: Jill submitted this comment, “This Rufous has been a challenge to get a picture of. He is taking on the male and female Anna’s that we have trying to dominate the feeder that is to the left of the picture. This is the best pic I could get. He’s beautiful!” (03/26/2020)
Just a few sightings for Black-chinned, Anna’s and Broad-tailed. No sightings for other migrating hummingbirds have been submitted.
From Hanford, CA: Tom noted that he had “Anna’s both males and females plus Black Chins at four feeders.” Tom also mentioned that it is hard in California to find sugar for his feeders. Journey North echos Tom’s comment “Hope we get through this virus!” (03/20/2020)
From Kite, GA: John reported, Broad-tailed male stopped by this evening. Easy to “spot” because of the whistling sound the male makes in flight.” (03/26/2020) Link to report
Journey North Maps
You can compare and contrast first arrival dates on Journey North maps. Based on a visual comparison between the 2019 and 2020 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (FIRST Sightings), it would appear that the 2020 migration front line is stalled. Could this be because of the rain and windy weather reported by Dr. David Aborn in this week’s Weather and Songbirds News Update? Or could this be a result of a drop in sightings? Last year, by this time 311 Ruby-throated Hummingbirds reports had been submitted? As of this year, only 202 reports have been submitted. Keep a look out for Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in your backyards and report to Journey North when possible.
Rufous migration front line seems to be on track with last years migration pace. Keep your reports coming!
Looking For Fun Activities To Do At Home?
Look no further! Journey North has many resources for anyone with a curious mind. This week our Exploring Together feature presents information on Identifying Ruby-throated and Rufous Hummingbirds.
