Hummingbirds
Hummingbird Migration Update: March 8, 2007

Today's Report Includes:

Please Report
Your Sightings! >>

Who's this? You decide! >>
Photo: Dean Briggins, USFWS
The Migration: Maps, Questions, and Highlights

Distribution Map

Rufous
Hummingbird

This Week's Map >>
Data (for your own maps) >>

Ruby-throated
Hummingbird

This Week's Map >>
Data (for your own maps) >>

Handouts: Today's Hummingbird Map Questions
a) Reading maps/predicting >>        b) Interpreting maps >>

Highlights: Hummers with a Mission
The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are here, and boy, are they hungry! One surprised observer wrote, "I saw a male Ruby-throated flying around my feeder. He seemed very hungry, so I rushed and put fresh food in three feeders." Why are these new arrivals such eager eaters? What does this tell us about their journey from their wintering grounds south of the border? This week, help us explore how they got here and where they'll head next!

Meanwhile, observers along the West Coast report a steady stream of Rufous hummers reaching as far north as Canada! How did they get so far and why are they spread all over the map? Stay tuned for next week's update.
Journal: How Did Ruby-throats Get Here?
Handout >>

As Ruby-throated hummingbirds enter the United States from their wintering grounds, many hit Louisiana (and nearby Gulf states) first.

  • How do you think they get there? Do they brave the open water or fly over land? >>
Slideshow: An Amazing Journey!
Slideshow >>

For a long time, scientists didn't know how Ruby-throated hummingbirds got from their wintering grounds in southern Mexico and Central America to the U.S. Gulf coast. Could these tiny creatures fly the 500 miles over the Gulf of Mexico with no food or rest? It hardly seemed possible!

You'll discover some secrets in this slideshow!

  • Slideshow: An Amazing Ruby-throat Journey >>

Predict: Where Will They Head Next?

Teachers: Predicting the Route of the Spring Migration (related lesson) >>

Where will the Ruby-throats show up next? When will they reach you? Here are two ways you can record your predictions:

  • Each week, print a blank map, date it, and draw a line showing where you think the leading edge of the migration will be the next week. Then compare your predictions with the actual map!
    OR
  • Use the spring migration prediction chart to record when and where you think the Ruby-throats will arrive. >>
This Week's Hummingbird Resources
  • Journey North for Kids: Two Species: Which is Which? >>
  • Teaching Tips: Suggestions for Analyzing Hummingbird Migration Data >>
  • Predicting: Predicting the Route of the Spring Migration >>
  • Ask the Expert (Coming March 16th!): How to Prepare Your Questions >>
  • Reading Strategy: Summarize Information >>
  • Hummingbird Migration Journals (click-and-print) >>
  • Hummingbirds for Kids (booklets, photos, videos) >>
More Hummingbird Lessons and Teaching Ideas!

The Next Hummingbird Migration Update Will Be Posted on March 15, 2007

 

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