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Time to Flee Males head south first. They're free to go because they don't care for young hummers. Some leave in mid-July, but most go in August, September, or October. What do you think affects when they leave? (See answer below photo.) Females often have a second brood of babies, so they head out about 2 weeks after the males do. Each feisty flyer travels alone. The trip is as difficult — and amazing — as their journey north was! Imagine a young hummer that's never migrated. It heads south on a solo journey without a map. It flies up to 1,500 miles and lands in a good winter habitat! Photo: Geri DeBoer The farther north a hummingbird breeds, the earlier it will leave to migrate south.