Hummingbird Update: May 15, 2013
Please Report
Your Sightings!
Report Your Sightings
The nest is built, the eggs are laid. Visit a nest and watch as babies hatch and grow.

This Update Includes:

Image of the Week
baby hummer
Photo: Dorothy Edgington
Happy Birthday
News: Breeding Behavior
What's Happening Now
Rufous continue moving north. Spotters in Valdez, Alaska report their first rufous sighting this week.

Ruby sightings continue to pour in.
  • Valdez reports, "I saw my first male rufous hummingbird today. This is later than usual. We still have four feet of snow on the ground." Alaska 05/09/13
  • Hummingbirds showed up earlier in Juneau and were treated to almost a foot of snow in late April. Numerous people reported hummingbirds at their snow-covered hummingbird feeders.

Rufous News
Rufous continue to move northward.

  • From Mountain View, Alberta, "What a great mother's present! Female rufous feeding at the feeder this am. 05/10/13
  • From Boise, Idaho, "One male with two females were exhibiting mating behaviors." 05/10/13

Ruby-throat News
Across the northern reaches people have been ready and waiting for their first sightings. When they arrive, watch your males and maybe you'll be lucky enough to see their courtship behavior.

  • "I've got one hummer for sure, orioles, too. Saw one doing it's crazy courting pattern! I'd get dizzy!" writes Karen in Afton, Minnesota. 05/08/13
  • "Saw two hummingbirds tonight. They were on the feeder and chasing each other. A welcome sight!" Wheaton, Minnesota 05/13/13

What's Happening Next
Watch for northwesterly movement as the rubythroats migrate to the end of their trail. We hope to hear more news from rufous spotters in the far northern latitudes.

flower nectar
Photo: Karri Newfeldt
Flower Nectar
 
female ruby
Photo: Rachael Leeman
She's Back!
 
male defender
Photo: Kenneth Drake
Fierce Guard
 
courtship display
Photo: Journey North
Courtship

Explore: Eggs to Fledglings
Come visit a hummingbird nest as the babies hatch and grow. Each photograph in the series uses a question and answer format.
egg
babies
babies
Photos: Dorothy Edgington
Maps: Migration Status
Soon our rubythroats will reach the end of their journeys. In this week's journal study the distribution map to predict how much further they will go this spring.
ruby map rufous map other hummers map
Ruby-throated
(map | animation | sightings)
Rufous
(map | animation | sightings)
Other
(map | animation | sightings)
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Please Help: Journey North Annual Evaluation

Evaluation
Next Update May 22, 2013.