Flowers and feeders are all-important for migrating hummingbirds. If your flowers are done blooming, please keep feeders filled and fresh for latecomers. Distance isn't the only factor in fuel consumption; other factors, like weather, can affect the amount of fuel needed for migration. Ruby-throated hummingbirds migrate during peak hurricane season. Strong headwinds in the Gulf can deplete their energy resources and may prove too much for weaker birds that didn't gain quite enough weight. Survivors arrive exhausted and super hungry. The fattest birds have the advantage, as they can use any remaining stored fuel to sustain them until they have more time and energy to search for flowering plants in their winter habitat.
"Saw one female ruby throat this morning feeding on the blue salvia and petunias." Candice in Piedmont, SC 10/18/14
Candice Williamson, Piedmont, SC