The signs that Fall is approaching increase daily. First, tiny yellow-green leaves start drifting down. Soybeans and cornfields are just starting to change color. And by the time you read this, they will be even closer to harvesting. But one thing about this time of year is that one of summer’s gems will only be with us a few more weeks… hummingbirds.
Though entertaining to watch, you may have noticed that they have become more aggressive as they dive-bomb each other while darting and chasing each other away from the feeder. You can hear their little chatter and squeaks, though some dispute this saying the only thing they have heard is the quiet zoom as they zip past you.
I don’t think it is my imagination, but they seem to be bigger, though there are some really tiny baby ones. They typically gain weight before they start their migration back to their winter home. But where do Indiana hummingbirds usually go and how far away?
Since I am not an ornithologist (bird expert), I decided to delve into this more. There is much information out there if you want to learn more. But some things are more interesting than others I found. Such as there are many myths and cultural beliefs about hummingbirds. One myth is that hummingbirds are tiny hitchhikers on the backs of larger birds going in their direction. Not true. However, they are solo travelers that leave on their own internal timetable based on the dwindling hours of daylight. They do not fly in flocks. The males leave first followed a week or so later by the females once their young have been raised.
But where exactly do ours go? From Indiana they can travel anywhere from 1,500 miles to Mexico up to as far away as Panama, about 3,500 miles away. Even though their tiny wings can beat anywhere from 720-5,400 times per minute, some arrive at their destination much faster than others that seem to take their time. At least they can’t blame their arrival time on being stuck in an airport. Some fly around the Gulf of Mexico, while others fly across it. Some even hitch a break or rest on boats. By the way, just wondering, how does one count the rotation of their tiny wings?
Another fun fact is that they are very intelligent. Their brain is very large in comparison to their body size. They remember their food sources such as the location of flowers and feeders that they have visited before. They might even visit for two years where a feeder had once been. One source even claimed that they remember faces. I knew it! This explains them looking in the window to let you know their feeder is empty. Of course, there are many that won’t believe you on this one. But clearly, they don’t feed them. Sometimes they are like little flying pigs and have drained the feeders in just a couple of days, especially this time of year.
So, to help them on their journey, it is good to leave feeders up until early November or at least a couple of weeks after you have spotted the last one. Another myth: leaving your feeder up will encourage them to stay and not migrate. Not true, they will leave when they are ready. You might also help one just migrating through.
Regardless, enjoy them while you can as they will only be here a little while longer. Then it will be “bon voyage” until they return next spring in April or May.
Teresa Holland is a guest columnist, writer, and retired advanced-practice registered nurse. Send comments to [email protected]
