Many people enjoy watching hummingbirds visit their yards and feeders. The sight of these tiny, glittering birds is one of the joys of summer. However, as summer winds down, questions arise about when to stop feeding these seasonal visitors. Should you take down your hummingbird feeders at a certain time? Or is it okay to keep feeding hummingbirds into fall and winter? The answer depends on a few different factors.
Do hummingbirds migrate or stay year-round?
Hummingbirds are migratory birds that breed during the summer months in northern climates. Most species will migrate south to warmer tropical areas come fall. However, some individual hummingbirds may stick around beyond the normal migration period.
There are also a few hummingbird species, like Anna’s and Rufous hummingbirds, that are year-round residents in warmer southern regions of the U.S. The Ruby-throated hummingbird is the main breeding hummingbird in eastern North America. Most Ruby-throats migrate out by October, though some stragglers may remain.
So depending on your location, the hummingbirds in your yard could be migrants stopping through or birds determined to tough out winter.
When do hummingbirds migrate?
Hummingbirds often begin migrating south as early as July. But the key period is between mid-August and mid-September for most hummingbird species in the northern United States and southern Canada.
Here are typical migration timeframes according to common hummingbird species:
| Species | Migration Period |
|---|---|
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Mid-August to late September |
| Rufous Hummingbird | Mid-July through September |
| Allen’s Hummingbird | Early July to early September |
| Calliope Hummingbird | Mid-July through late August |
The precise timing will vary by location based on weather and food availability.
Should You Stop Feeding Hummingbirds in Fall?
Since most hummingbirds migrate in the fall, many people assume you should stop feeding them at that time. But that’s not necessarily the case. Here are some points to consider when deciding when to take down your feeders:
Look for late-lingering hummingbirds
In many areas, hummingbirds are scarce after mid-September. But some individuals may stick around into October or even November if there are still flowers or feeders available.
Keep an eye out for hummingbirds visiting your yard daily. If you spot a late-staying bird, leave your feeder up for it. This will give the straggler needed energy before its migration.
Provide food through fall migration period
Even if you don’t see any late hummingbirds, it’s a good idea to leave feeders up through the typical fall migration period for your area.
Hummingbirds coming through on migration need plentiful nectar sources to fuel up. Leaving your feeders up through this transitory period makes your yard a more attractive stopover site.
Don’t rely on flowers
Hummingbirds depend heavily on nectar from flowers. Unfortunately, many native plants finish blooming by mid to late summer.
Leaving feeders up ensures hummingbirds have an energy source if neighboring flowers become depleted. This prevents weakening or starving of hummingbirds preparation for migration.
| Migration Dates | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Mid-July to mid-August | Keep feeders up |
| Mid-August to early October | Keep feeders up |
| Early October to first frost | Only take down if no hummers seen for a week+ |
Offer winter support
In warmer areas where hummingbirds overwinter, providing nectar in feeders is critical. The Anna’s hummingbird in particular relies on feeders in winter when flowers are less abundant.
Leaving feeders up through winter in southern states and California can be lifesaving for birds staying put. Just make sure to clean and fill feeders regularly so food stays fresh.
How Do I Transition Hummingbirds at End of Season?
If hummingbirds are still using your feeders in late fall, you don’t want to abruptly cut off their food source. Follow these tips for a gentle transition:
Wait for freezing temperatures
In northern areas where hummingbirds migrate out, keep feeders up until nighttime temperatures consistently drop below freezing. At this point, any remaining birds need to move out.
Taper sugar concentration
For the last fillings of your feeder, slowly reduce the sugar concentration from 1:4 to 1:5. This will discourage hummingbirds from staying too long but still offer energy.
Provide extra feeding stations
To spread out food options, set up several feeding stations around your yard. Then take down feeders one at a time over a few weeks.
Remove feeders at night
During transition, remove feeders at night so hummingbirds don’t deposit any more calories. Leave them up 1-2 hours in morning and evening.
Clean feeder parts thoroughly
When taking down feeders, clean them thoroughly inside and out. Hummingbirds can be drawn back by smell if nectar stickiness remains.
What About Leaving Feeders Up All Winter?
Some people prefer to leave their hummingbird feeders up all winter rather than deal with the hassle of taking them down. In most cases, this won’t cause harm. However, here are a couple considerations:
Frozen nectar
Nectar left out in freezing temperatures will freeze solid and be inaccessible to birds. So this method only works if you actively maintain and defrost the feeders.
Increased competition
Hummingbirds are territorial around feeders. In winter, other birds may visit feeders too, which could potentially displace any lingering hummingbirds.
Feeder dependency
The main downside is birds becoming reliant on feeders and unwilling to migrate. This leaves them vulnerable if you eventually take feeders down or can’t refill during storms or travel.
Signal to move on
Since most people take feeders down in winter, keeping feeders up past fall may falsely signal to hummingbirds that they don’t need to migrate.
If you don’t want the task of winter maintenance, most experts recommend removing feeders. Just make sure no hummingbirds are still relying on it for food.
Conclusion
Hummingbird migration schedules vary across the country depending on climate differences. In northern states where hummingbirds don’t remain year-round, continue feeding them through the fall migration season until temperatures reach freezing.
For southern states, keep feeders up continuously if you have hummingbirds depending on them. Migrating birds will also appreciate the nectar source to refuel during their winter travels.
Whenever you do remove your feeders, taper down sugar concentrations first. And thoroughly clean all parts so lingering sweetness doesn’t attract birds back after closure. Providing fuel up until the end of the natural feeding season will give hummingbirds their best chance at a safe migration journey.
