Hummingbird Migration: Citizen Scientists Track Hummingbird Migration with Journey North

Hummingbirds

Early Bird Surprise
April 14, 2017 By Mary Hosier

Southern winds surprised northerners with some early sightings.

rufous in the pollen
"YYayyyyyy... first little squabbling fairy returns!"
— Pamela Johnson in Lexington, Oklahoma on April 12th.

While it seems that the migration is stalled at around 40° N latitude, the timing was right for southern winds to push a few Ruby-throats north toward the lower Great Lakes and into Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire this week. Hummers arrived whether feeders were up or not:

"I don't always put my feeders up this early, but I read about the relationship between sapsuckers (which I have seen here) and hummingbirds, and it was 80 degrees out, and I had spring fever..."
West Haverhill, New Hampshire on April 12th.

"I had put up my oriole feeder and was taking a break from putzing in the yard, just enjoying watching the birds at my feeders. The male hummingbird appeared by the feeders, sniffed around and was gone in a matter of seconds."
Little Suamico, Wisconsin on April 12th.

"We were caught by surprise. Last time I checked the migration map they were still a ways south. My wife heard it first. Then later, watching tv we had one flit around at the window where one bird feeder usually hangs."
Battle Creek, Michigan on April 10th.

Rufous are Alaska Bound
This week's coastal sightings were in Kitimat, British Columbia; then in Craig, Wrangell, and Sitka, Alaska. At many locations first sightings were delayed this year.

"First male of the season. Latest day they have been here in years and years. Happy to see him!"
Wrangell, Alaska on April 12th.

Western Species
Many Calliope hummingbirds were reported along the Washington and British Columbian border. Broad-tailed and Black-chinned are arriving in the Colorado Rockies.

Hummingbirds Spring Into Action
Claiming, Defending, Courting, and Nesting

Spring Arrival The male hummingbird arrives on the breeding grounds before the female. Instinct urges him to do one thing: set up a territory! What does he need? How does he start?

Choosing a Territory The male hummingbird needs to find a place where there are nectar-rich flowers and protective trees or shrubs. The territory he chooses will help determine whether a female hummer will choose him as a mate.

Hummingbird Habitat A hummingbird's territory could be as big as a football field. The area could also be smaller with a neighboring male choosing a spot as close as 50 feet away.

Keeping Out the Competition The perimeter of the territory is the most challenging to defend. Scientists have discovered that rufous hummers would drain flower nectar from the edge of their territory each morning. Any competing hummers would find empty flowers and be less interested in the territory.

Defending the Territory When intruders come into the territory they are fiercely chased off. The hummingbird male might even claim a feeder as their territory and spend much of the day perched nearby to defend it.

Dazzling the Females Male hummingbirds show off their bright throat feathers, or gorgets, to dazzle the females. Rubythroats flash their red gorgets, rufous flash their orange ones. The courtship begins with some amazing acrobatic skills!

Courtship Flight With the female watching, the male hummer puts on a show that is hard to ignore. He flies up nearly 50 feet in the air, facing the sun, so his irridescent gorget glistens. Next, he dives at 40 miles per hour, then pulls up making a u-shaped pattern. Their wings beat up to 200 times per second during this courtship dive.

Nesting Begins If courtship is successful the female selects her mate settles in to the territory. Nest building begins. The female does all the work for building the nest and raising the young. The male hummingbird flies off to choose the next territory and another courtship begins.

Companion Resources

Driving Question

What is required of the male hummingbird when it arrives in the spring?

Report Your Sightings


What to Report	Ruby-throated map \| animation \| sightings	Rufous map \| animation \| sightings

Other Species map \| animation \| sightings	Other Observations map \| list	Nectaring map \| list

Next Update April 21, 2017