These small, fast hummingbirds soon to migrate out of our area
Fall’s arrival means saying goodbye to one of our summertime gems. The last of our ruby-throated hummingbirds will be leaving us in the coming days for their wintering grounds across the Gulf of Mexico and as far away as Central America.
Most of the males with their bright ruby throats left weeks ago. Only the females remain and their numbers are thinning. Their latest recorded departure date from our area was mid-October, so if you’re lucky enough to see one this time of year take a moment to admire their incredible appearance and remarkable abilities.
These tiny birds – our smallest – are hatched in tiny nests from eggs the size of a jellybean. As adults they are the only birds capable of hovering in place, flying backwards and even upside down. Their wingbeats are so fast that they make an easily heard humming or buzzing sound as they approach the flowers and feeders that they visit for nectar.
They are both fast and have incredible stamina. In migration they’re known to fly 40 miles per hour. Some make a non-stop, 500-mile flight across the Gulf of Mexico that they’ll finish in less than a day.
