Hummingbirds are some of the most fascinating birds found in Illinois. These tiny birds can hover in midair and fly backwards, making them a joy to watch. Most hummingbirds that breed in Illinois migrate south for the winter, traveling astounding distances to reach their wintering grounds. Understanding where hummingbirds go after leaving Illinois provides insight into the migratory patterns and wintering behavior of these remarkable birds.
Why do hummingbirds leave Illinois for the winter?
Hummingbirds migrate south and leave Illinois in the fall to escape the cold winter temperatures. Unlike some bird species that can endure frigid conditions, hummingbirds have high metabolisms and limited energy reserves in their small bodies. They require frequent access to nectar for energy and cannot survive freezing temperatures or snowstorms. Migrating allows hummingbirds to find warmer climates with enough flowers and food to sustain them through the winter. Their migration is triggered by decreasing daylight hours and changes in food availability as blooming slows. Most hummingbirds leave Illinois by mid-September. The timing ensures they reach their winter destinations before it becomes too cold.
What is the typical migration route for hummingbirds leaving Illinois?
Hummingbirds leaving Illinois take different migration pathways depending on the species. Here are some typical routes:
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
The ruby-throated hummingbird is the most common hummingbird found in Illinois. In the fall, they migrate south across the Gulf of Mexico to their wintering grounds in Central America or southern Mexico. Their route may take them through Louisiana, Texas, and Mexico across the Gulf. Some migrate through Florida across the Straits of Florida to areas like Cuba or the Bahamas before reaching Central America. Banding research indicates a direct nonstop flight of over 500 miles across the Gulf of Mexico.
Rufous Hummingbird
Rufous hummingbirds breed in the Pacific Northwest and western Canada during summer. In fall, they migrate southeast through the Rocky Mountains to wintering grounds primarily in Mexico and the Gulf Coast. Some reach Illinois during migration. Their circuitous migration route covers over 4000 miles round trip with many stopping points along the way to refuel.
Calliope Hummingbird
Calliope hummingbirds have one of the longest migrations of any North American hummingbird. They breed in the northwestern U.S. and western Canada. To reach wintering grounds in Mexico, some fly south through the Rocky Mountains while others take a coastal route. In fall, they may pass through Illinois as they travel over 3000 miles each way.
What are the major wintering areas for hummingbirds migrating from Illinois?
Species | Major Wintering Areas |
---|---|
Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Southern Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica |
Rufous Hummingbird | Coastal California, Southern Arizona, Mexico |
Calliope Hummingbird | Mexico |
The most common wintering areas for hummingbirds that breed in Illinois are:
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
The ruby-throated hummingbirds that leave Illinois head to southern Mexico, Panama, and Costa Rica for the winter. They primarily winter in areas like the Pacific slope of Mexico, the Yucatan Peninsula, El Salvador, and scattered sites in Central America.
Rufous Hummingbird
Many rufous hummingbirds migrate through Illinois to winter along the Gulf Coast region of the southern United States. Prime wintering habitat includes coastal California, southern Arizona, and central Mexico. Some also reach the Gulf Coast in Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida.
Calliope Hummingbird
Calliope hummingbirds have a relatively concentrated winter range in Mexico after migrating south from Illinois. Most spend the winter in the highlands of central Mexico.
What factors help hummingbirds migrate long distances?
Hummingbirds migrating from Illinois to Central America or Mexico undergo grueling journeys covering thousands of miles. Several key adaptations help them complete these epic flights:
– Tiny Size: Weighing just 2-6 grams, hummingbirds are the smallest birds found in Illinois. Their lightweight bodies require less energy to carry over long distances.
– High Metabolism: Hummingbirds have extremely high metabolisms and can convert sugary nectar into energy quickly to fuel migration. They feed regularly along the migration route.
– Fat Stores: Before migrating, hummingbirds nearly double their weight by building up fat stores to provide additional energy. The fat deposits can make up over half their body weight.
– Torpor: To conserve energy if food sources are scarce, hummingbirds can go into a temporary hibernation or torpor while migrating. Their body temperature and metabolic rate drops.
– Navigation Skills: Hummingbirds appear to have strong navigation abilities and excellent memories of habitats along the migration route. This helps them locate food sources and rest areas.
How do hummingbirds know when and where to migrate?
Hummingbirds rely on cues from their environment and changes in daylight to determine when to migrate. Some ways hummingbirds know when to travel include:
– Decreasing daylight hours in the fall trigger their internal circannual clocks to initiate migration.
– The angle of the sun shifts as days get shorter. Hummingbirds can perceive these cues.
– Cooler temperatures and drops in food availability provide additional signals to depart.
– Young hummingbirds have inherited knowledge of when to migrate and in which direction to travel. This prevents them from getting left behind.
Hummingbirds find their way to winter sites using:
– Excellent memories of landscapes and habitat features along migration routes from previous journeys.
– Orientation by the sun and patterns of polarized light for directionality during travel.
– Inbuilt magnetic senses to help navigate by detecting the Earth’s magnetic fields.
– For ruby-throats, fat stores with antioxidants help their magnetic sensing abilities.
How do hummingbirds behave and what do they eat during migration?
During migration, hummingbirds must fly during the day when nectar sources are available and rest at night. Their behavior includes:
– Feeding frequently along the route when flowers and nectar sources are present.
– Setting up temporary feeding territories rich in flowers for refueling. They aggressively chase other hummingbirds away.
– Storing some fat before migrating and building up more reserves along the route by feeding regularly.
– Entering torpor overnight and on cold days to conserve energy. This lowers their metabolic rate up to 95%.
– Stopping to rest multiple times during travel by clinging to branches in wooded areas.
– Migrating relatively slowly, covering 20-40 miles on travel days with favorable winds.
– Making nonstop flights of 18-24 hours by riding pressure systems and tailwinds when crossing major barriers like the Gulf of Mexico.
While migrating, hummingbirds get energy primarily from nectar. They also consume small insects for protein like:
– Bees
– Gnats
– Aphids
– Spiderwebs
This combination fuels their flight muscles for migration. At stopovers, they gorge on nectar and double their weight.
What risks and threats do hummingbirds face during migration?
Hummingbirds migrating from Illinois to their winter homes face many potential risks and threats along the way:
– Exhaustion if they cannot find enough nectar sources to refuel fully. Young birds are particularly vulnerable.
– Inclement weather like storms, high winds, or precipitation making flight more difficult and hazardous.
– Collisions with buildings, towers, and other structures during low light conditions or when blown off course.
– Attacks from predatory birds when resting. Falcons, shrikes, and other birds prey on hummingbirds.
– Competition from other hummingbird species at prime refueling habitats. Some may deprive migrating birds of needed food.
– Habitat loss along migration routes decreasing shelter and nectar plants. Deforestation in Mexico is an issue.
– Pesticides or insect population declines limiting protein from insects needed to complement nectar.
– Light pollution disorienting hummingbirds and depleting fat reserves by causing them to migrate all night.
– Collision risk with vehicles and wind turbines in areas where infrastructure intersects migration routes.
How long does the hummingbird migration take?
The total length of migration for hummingbirds leaving Illinois depends on factors like their final winter destination and number of stopovers along the route. However, typical durations are:
– Ruby-throated hummingbird: These hummingbirds can complete their fall migration in 7 to 9 weeks. This allows them to arrive on their Central American winter grounds in October.
– Rufous hummingbird: Their figure 8 migration route lasts around 5 months. They begin migrating north again by early February to return to breeding areas.
– Calliope hummingbird: Their spring and fall migrations each span 2 to 3 months. Their complete trip may take 6 months or more as some overwinter in Mexico before returning north.
During the southbound portion of migration, hummingbirds travel 20 to 40 miles on travel days but can cover up to a few hundred miles with favorable winds. Stopovers for refueling last several days to two weeks. Nonstop flights over major barriers like the Gulf of Mexico take 18 to 24 hours.
Do the hummingbirds migrating from Illinois return to the same breeding grounds?
In most cases, hummingbirds exhibit site fidelity and return to the same summer breeding areas year after year. Young birds may not come back to where they hatched but often return to wintering sites. Examples of return rates of hummingbirds migrating from Illinois:
– Adult ruby-throated hummingbirds have return rates around 25% to their former nesting areas in Illinois and across eastern North America.
– Rufous hummingbirds using feeders in migration hotspots in Illinois and the Midwest also show site fidelity. Around 10-20% return to the same yards.
– Banding indicates many calliope hummingbirds go back to former breeding sites in the northwestern U.S. and southwestern Canada. Their return rate may reach around 35%.
Site fidelity is beneficial because the birds are familiar with reliable food sources, predators, competitors, and other aspects influencing their survival in that habitat. However, altering the environment can disrupt this homing ability.
How can the public get involved with hummingbird migration?
Here are a few ways the public can learn about and engage with hummingbird migration in Illinois:
– Keep feeders up until late September. This provides fuel for migrating hummingbirds stopping by yards. Use a nectar mix of 1 part sugar to 4 parts water.
– Plant native flowers and nectar plants. Gardens with tubular red or orange flowers provide an attractive food source for migration.
– Report hummingbird sightings. Using sites like eBird to log migrating hummingbirds helps scientists track movement patterns.
– Put up nest boxes before nesting season. This makes potential breeding spots available for returning hummingbirds.
– Avoid pesticides. Pesticide use can reduce insect populations hummingbirds rely on for food.
– Participate in hummingbird banding. Assist authorized hummingbird banding stations with capturing, banding, and releasing the birds.
– Support conservation groups. Join organizations focused on preserving bird habitats and minimizing threats during migration.
Conclusion
In summary, most hummingbirds that breed in Illinois embark on incredible migrations to Central America, coastal California or Mexico each fall. Their routes and wintering grounds depend on the species, but these tiny birds exhibit amazing endurance flying thousands of miles. While experiencing many threats along the way, hummingbirds migrate to escape harsh winters and find the resources they need to survive. Their ability to navigate back to former breeding sites year after year remains fascinating. Improving our understanding of hummingbird migration ecology through research and public involvement will be key to ensuring these aerial marvels keep returning to Illinois.