In many parts of the country, the hummingbirds have begun their migratory journey. This usually prompts people to begin wondering when they should take down their hummingbird feeders. This is something that my own mom often wondered about and that I have frequently been asked about by various friends and family who know that I am an avid hummingbird enthusiast. This post is for all of you and I thank you for prompting me to write this particular post.
Here in southeast Texas, which is located about 90 miles east of Houston, we have mostly Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and usually by this time of year they have migrated out of the area. This year seems to be different and the migration seems to be delayed. Several people I know, including my boyfriend’s mom, still have hummingbirds visiting their feeders every day at the present time. While it is difficult to explain the exact reason for this, it could be that the birds are just later in making their migratory journey or the birds may not be well enough to make the journey any longer.
It is important to know that there is no exact date by which your feeder should be taken down. The decision to do so isn’t an exact science. As a general rule, it is believed that leaving your feeders up until at least two weeks have passed since seeing your last hummingbird is a good idea. Doing so will not stop the hummingbirds from making their migratory journey. When migration occurs is determined by a change in the length of the day or photoperiod.
Also, leaving your feeders up for a longer period of time will provide a valuable food source for any birds that are late in making their migratory journey, those which are somehow off course or those that are physically unable to make the migratory journey.
On a personal note, I must apologize for the fact that there have not been any new post for the past several days. This was totally unplanned and unavoidable due to the fact that my Internet was down. It was not until earlier today that my friend was able to fix the problem. Thanks for your understanding concerning this matter.