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BIRD FEEDING
Attracting Migrating Hummers
 | Ruby-throated
Hummingbird |
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Now is the time to really get your yard ready for hummingbirds. In spring you got the feeders out to attract the first migrants. Well, guess what? Some species start migrating south in June, and many more in July and August. In addition to this, young hummingbirds will be leaving the nest in July and their mother, who raises them by herself, may bring them to your feeders.
Because of this, you will see more hummingbirds at your feeders in late summer than at any other time of year. So it is a good time to be sure your feeders are filled with the proper solutions (1 part white sugar to 4 parts water; boil for one minute, then cool) and that you have plenty of feeders up. You might even want to get a larger feeder or some additional ones. As you may know, hummers can be aggressive around feeders. To attract more hummers, we place feeders on different sides of our house. This way they cannot see each other and it reduces fighting.
Young hummers are not that much smaller than their mother when they leave the nest. They look about the size of the parents but their bills may be shorter, as they are not yet fully grown. If you see some very small creatures hovering just like hummingbirds in front of your feeders or flowers, they are probably not hummingbirds. They are more likely hummingbird moths. These moths are about one-third the size of a hummingbird and have clear wings. Their bodies are often reddish brown; they have a long mouthpart that they uncurl and poke into flowers when they are looking for nectar.
Here are some of the main species of hummingbirds and when they migrate south:
 | Rufous Hummingbird—Late June to October |
| | Ruby-throated Hummingbird—Late July to late October |
| | Broad-tailed Hummingbird—August to October |
| | Black-chinned Hummingbird —Mid-August to November |
| | Allen's Hummingbird—June through September |
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