Watch for Wanderers
October is a good time to look carefully at hummers you see. This is the time of the year when hummingbirds that belong in the West get lost, pushed east by prevailing westerly winds. A Rufous, Calliope, or Anna's could turn up in an eastern state where Rubythroats are the common—and only breeding—species. A few more Rufous Hummingbirds, a hardier and larger species, find their way into new territory each fall, surprising and delighting observers.

"I had no idea I'd be a slave to a feeder into late October! Folks down south of Kansas City, please keep your feeders up, as he is bound to journey south at some point!"

Karen H. in Olathe, Kansas (October 24, 2013)

Male Rufous Hummingbird
Photo: Kenneth Drake