July: A Busy Time
July is busy on the breeding grounds. Females are feeding their growing babies. Until the babies fledge they are completely dependent on their mothers for all their food. Later in July the young have fledged and will follow their mothers to nearby feeders. Meanwhile, males are putting on the fat. Fewer hours of sunlight trigger the urge to migrate as fall approaches, and males leave first. Some will start migration in mid-July. Hummingbirds migrate at the time when their food is most plentiful, and they can more than double their weight before migration. By leaving first, males are ensuring more insects and nectar available for the babies.

Image: Michele Polimine