- It is believed that a chemical change occurs within the hummingbird’s body and thus signals that it is time for migration to take place.
- It is speculated that the migration path that the hummingbirds will follow is effected by where the flower or insect population is the largest. This has not been scientifically proven.
- Prior to beginning their migratory journey, a hummingbird must gain beteen 25 and 40 percent of its body weight. This helps the birds sustain their energy level during the lengthy migratory journey. Just how lenthy the journey is depends on the individual species of hummingbird, but the Ruby-throated Hummingbird will make a 500 mile journey across the the Gulf of Mexico.
- A hummingbird will follow the same migratory path year after year. The path is the same one they flew the first time they ever made the journey.
- Hummingbirds make the migratory jouney alone. This makes it harder for the birds to become the target of predators and also the hummingbirds must feed so frequently that it wouldn’t be practical for the birds to travel as a group.
- Whenever they are migrating the hummingbirds fly at about treetop level over land and then skimming over the water. Flying at these low levels is believed to be due to the fact that this makes it much easier for the hummingbirds to spot food or nectar sources along the migratory path.
- During migration, the hummingbirds fly during the day and sleep at night.
- The migratory journey will take between one and four weeks to complete. The birds will travel beteen 20-25 miles per day.
- The males will migrate first, about three weeks or so ahead of the females.
- The first thing the hummingbirds will do upon completing the migratory journey is to fatten up.
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