Ruby-throated hummingbirds are feverishly feeding. / Missouri Department of Conservation
Have you walked outside and couldn’t believe how many hummingbirds are around your feeder?
Or have you made the comment: “I can’t believe my hummingbird feeder is empty. I just filled it up not long ago.”
If either, or both, of these scenarios describe a situation you’ve experienced, don’t worry: You’re not going crazy. Yes, you’re likely to find a lot of hummingbirds flitting around your feeders now and, yes, they’re feeding so much that they’re keeping your feeders empty.
This is the time of year when hummingbird feeders that aren’t watched can get the appearance that they’ve been sucked dry by a miniature vacuum cleaner. That’s because, beginning in August, hummingbirds’ appetites become ravenous because they’re storing up energy for fall migration. This increased feeding activity by resident birds, coupled with an increase in the number of hummingbirds seen because young birds are feeding with the adults and — in later weeks — the large number of migrating birds coming through, means there’s a lot of hummingbird feeding taking place.
Species in Missouri
What we’re seeing are ruby-throated hummingbirds, which is the main hummingbird species found in Missouri. People are fascinated with hummingbirds for a variety of reasons. One is the way they hover at feeders and dart back and forth. (Hummingbirds can flap their wings up to 75 times per second and are the only birds that can fly backward.) Also, people are intrigued by their tiny size.
A hummingbird’s instinct tells it to eat now because it has a great deal of traveling to do in the weeks ahead. Ruby-throated hummingbirds winter in southern Mexico and Central America. From here, that’s a long trip for a little bird. Some southerly flying hummingbirds follow land-based routes to their winter destinations, but others take a more remarkable route. Based on sightings and data that have been collected, it’s thought that some hummingbirds fly nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico from the Gulf Coast of the U.S. to winter homes in Central America. This is a continuous flight of more than 20 hours and approximately 500 miles.
If all of this talk of long flights has urged you to give your local hummingbirds some food for the road, you’re in luck: Feeding hummingbirds is a task that doesn’t require much setup.
Some people hang hummingbird feeders to add to the bird-feeding arrangement they’ve already put together around their house. Other people focus solely on hummingbirds because they don’t have the room or budget for elaborate bird-feeding setups. Hummingbird feeders are relatively inexpensive, and what you put in them (a sugar-water solution) is cheaper than any other type of bird feeder ingredients you’ll find.
If you’re shopping for a hummingbird feeder, consider those that have bee or wasp guards. These plastic mesh covers prevent insects from reaching the sugar water inside. The solution you put in the feeder is a simple mix: four parts water to one part sugar. Don’t add red food coloring to this solution. Instead, make sure the hummingbird feeder you buy is red (most are). Change nectar weekly or more often if the solution becomes cloudy. Between fillings, clean the feeder thoroughly to reduce bacteria growth.
A good source of information on hummingbirds is the Missouri Department of Conservation booklet “Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in Missouri.” This free publication is available at most Department of Conservation offices.
Information on hummingbirds can also be found at www.missouriconservation.org.
Francis Skalicky is the media specialist for the Department of Conservation’s Southwest Region. For more information about conservation issues, call 417-895-6880.