Do hummingbirds fly across the Atlantic?

Hummingbirds are amazing little birds capable of hovering in midair and flying backwards using their specialized wings that beat up to 80 times per second. Their ability to fly great distances during migration is impressive for their tiny size. But do hummingbirds ever fly all the way across the Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe?

Can hummingbirds fly long distances?

Hummingbirds are certainly capable of flying long distances during their seasonal migrations. For example, the rufous hummingbird migrates up to 3,900 miles between Alaska and Mexico each year. The ruby-throated hummingbird flies up to 2,000 miles between Canada and Central America every fall and spring.

During migration, hummingbirds fly during the day and rest at night by entering a hibernation-like state called torpor to conserve energy. Their fat stores and inhaled oxygen sustain their basic body functions so they can resume flying in the morning.

Known hummingbird migration routes

Scientists have identified set migration paths and wintering grounds used by different hummingbird species in the Americas. Here are some key details:

Ruby-throated hummingbird

• Breeds across eastern North America
• Migrates across the Gulf of Mexico to southern Mexico and Central America
• Does not breed or winter along the U.S. Gulf Coast

Rufous hummingbird

• Breeds in northwestern North America from Alaska to northwest U.S.
• Migrates through western U.S. to wintering grounds in Mexico

Anna’s hummingbird

• Year-round resident along the Pacific Coast from British Columbia to Baja California
• Increasing its breeding range northward but no evidence of crossing the Atlantic

Costa’s hummingbird

• Breeds in the southwestern U.S. and Mexico
• Partially migratory, some populations migrate short distances to winter in Mexico while others remain year-round

Broad-tailed hummingbird

• Breeds across the Rocky Mountains and winters in Mexico

Do any hummingbirds cross the Atlantic Ocean?

There are no recorded cases of any hummingbird species migrating across the Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe or Africa. The vast expanse of open water extending nearly 3,000 miles across the Atlantic exceeds the non-stop flying range of hummingbirds.

While some songbirds like blackpolls complete this transoceanic journey, hummingbirds do not have this capability due to their smaller body size and energy limitations.

Why don’t hummingbirds fly across the Atlantic Ocean?

There are several key reasons hummingbirds do not migrate across the Atlantic:

Insufficient fat stores

Hummingbirds cannot build up enough fat reserves to sustain a non-stop transatlantic flight. Even the rufous hummingbird would not have sufficient fat stores.

Body size limitations

The small size of hummingbirds limits how far they can fly without refueling. Larger birds have proportionately larger fat stores and muscle mass to power longer distance flight.

Inability to rest on water

Hummingbirds must rest on land rather than floating on the water like seabirds. Without landing sites, they cannot make a transatlantic crossing.

Lack of evolutionary pressure

Reaching new food sources has not required hummingbirds to evolve extreme long-distance flight capabilities. Flowering plants provide adequate nectar within their regular migration range.

Hummingbird vagrancy in Europe

There have been a dozen unconfirmed sightings of hummingbirds in Europe over the decades from countries like Ireland, Scotland, England, and Germany. However, these are considered cases of mistaken identity or escaped pets rather than wild transatlantic crossings. Banding data has never confirmed a legitimate European sighting.

Here are some examples of alleged sightings:

• 1988 – Anna’s hummingbird reportedly sighted in County Cork, Ireland but not well-documented
• 2014 – Calliope hummingbird claimed to be spotted in Nova Scotia, Canada two months after the fall migration period ended

Without photographic evidence or banding data, European hummingbird sightings remain unconfirmed and highly doubtful. The birds sighted were likely European hummingbird hawkmoths whose appearance resembles hummingbirds in flight.

Could hummingbirds reach Europe by other means?

While transatlantic migration is impossible for hummingbirds, could they reach Europe by alternative means? Here are a few possibilities:

Blown off course

Strong winds like hurricanes could potentially blow hummingbirds off their normal migration route. However, they would likely perish once reaching the open Atlantic due to lack of food. Sustained eastward winds across thousands of miles is extremely improbable.

Ship-assisted passage

Hummingbirds could conceivably ride on ships across the Atlantic as stowaways. However, they would then need to escape to the wild and find suitable habitat. Escaped exotic hummingbirds do not survive long in Europe.

Intentional introduction

Hummingbirds could be intentionally released in Europe by humans. But introduced tropical species have not established wild populations able to survive Europe’s colder climate.

Could hummingbirds cross the Atlantic in the future?

It is extremely unlikely that hummingbirds will expand their range across the Atlantic to Europe under future climate change scenarios. Here are some reasons why:

• Flying range is biologically limited by body size
• Climate warming will not enable fat storage enough for transatlantic flight
• North Atlantic weather patterns continue to necessitate non-stop transoceanic crossing
• Historical precedent indicates hummingbirds do not naturally expand ranges across ocean barriers

The Atlantic Ocean will almost certainly continue to be an impassable barrier for hummingbird migration and range expansion. The laws of physics and physiology simply preclude these tiny birds from crossing 3,000 miles open ocean.

Conclusion

In summary, there is no evidence now or historically of hummingbirds naturally crossing the Atlantic Ocean between North and South America and Europe. These tiny birds are beautifully adapted to hover and migrate long distances across land areas. However, the vast expanse of the Atlantic exceeds the non-stop flying range of all hummingbird species. Vagrant sightings in Europe are cases of misidentification or escaped pets. While other mechanisms could transport hummingbirds across the Atlantic, they would be unable to survive for long. We can safely conclude that the Atlantic Ocean is and will remain an insurmountable barrier that hummingbirds will not cross now or in the foreseeable future. Their small bodies and fat stores make transatlantic migration impossible. Hummingbirds remain a bird family unique to the Americas.