Why have all my hummingbirds left?

If you’ve noticed that the hummingbirds that usually visit your feeders or garden have suddenly disappeared, there are a few possible explanations for where they went and when they might return. In this article, we’ll go over the top reasons hummingbirds leave an area and provide tips on how to bring them back.

When do hummingbirds migrate?

The most common reason for hummingbirds to disappear from your yard is migration. Hummingbirds are migratory birds that travel between their summer breeding grounds in the northern U.S. and Canada to their winter homes in Mexico and Central America. This journey can span thousands of miles. Here’s an overview of hummingbird migration patterns:

• Spring migration: Between February and May, as temperatures warm, hummingbirds will start arriving back in northern regions like the Pacific Northwest, Midwest, Northeast from their winter grounds.
• Summer range: Between May and August, hummingbirds stay in their summer range and breed.
• Fall migration: Between August and November, hummingbirds begin moving south again to their winter range.
• Winter range: Between November and February, most hummingbirds will be in southern Mexico and Central America for the cold winter months.

Exact migration timing can vary by species and location. But in many parts of the U.S., hummingbirds are only present during the spring and summer months. If they suddenly disappear in late summer or fall, it’s likely because they’ve begun their southern journey to warmer climates.

What causes hummingbirds to migrate?

Hummingbirds migrate in response to certain environmental cues that signal it’s time to move on:

• Changes in daylight: As days start to shorten in late summer, hummingbirds take this as a sign to begin migrating south.
• Food availability: The blooming cycles of flowers and availability of nectar-producing plants help trigger both northward migration in spring and southward migration in late summer and fall as food sources dwindle.
• Temperature: Hummingbirds are sensitive to cold due to their high metabolic rate. As temperatures drop in fall, they’ll seek warmer climates.

By paying attention to daylight, food, and weather patterns, hummingbirds know when it’s time to migrate each season. This ensures they can find enough food and survive during the winter months.

How far do hummingbirds migrate?

For their small size, hummingbirds are surprisingly strong long-distance migrants. Here are some examples of hummingbird migration distances:

As these incredible migration distances show, hummingbirds are driven to travel astonishing lengths between their seasonal ranges each year, often flying non-stop over the Gulf of Mexico or other barriers.

Do all hummingbirds migrate every year?

Most hummingbirds in the U.S. and Canada are migratory, but migration tendencies can vary:

• Adult males tend to migrate before adult females and immature birds.
• Some older birds may not migrate every year.
• A small percentage may overwinter in southern states instead of making the full trip to Central America or Mexico.
• In tropical areas, hummingbirds may have much shorter migration patterns or be non-migratory residents.

Migration seems to be driven in part by competition for limited food in the winter. Adult males migrate first to stake out the best winter territories, followed by females and young birds. But not every individual migrates each season.

Why do hummingbirds sometimes stick around late?

While most hummingbirds will depart on migration by November, in some cases stragglers may linger into winter. Here are reasons why:

• Abundant food: Gardens with late-blooming flowers, feeders, and artificial nectar can help entice hummingbirds to delay migration.
• Warmer temperatures: Unseasonably warm fall or winter temperatures may enable some hummingbirds to survive further north.
• Age and health: Weaker younger birds or old birds may not be able to complete the full migration.
• Disorientation: Artificial lights, reflections, or loss of natural food sources can disorient some birds from their instinct to migrate.

With extra care and food sources, it’s possible for individual hummingbirds to overwinter in northern climates. But most will still depart when cold snaps and food scarcity arrive.

Can I keep hummingbirds from leaving?

While you can’t force hummingbirds to stay if they are instinctually driven to migrate, you can make your yard as attractive as possible to hummingbirds in spring, summer, and fall:

• Plant a variety of native nectar flowers that bloom through the seasons.
• Supplement with clean hummingbird feeders and fresh nectar, especially in dry periods.
• Provide small perches and shrubs for resting near feeders.
• Have a water source like a fountain, mister, or bird bath for drinking and bathing.
• Avoid using pesticides that may reduce insect populations hummingbirds rely on.
• Consider providing extra feeders and food to encourage hummingbirds to linger into fall.

While you can’t guarantee hummingbirds will stay indefinitely, providing an attractive and welcoming habitat makes it more likely they’ll stop by your yard during migrations and some may delay leaving.

When do hummingbirds return in spring?

If hummingbirds have left your area for the winter, take heart that they’ll be back. Here’s when you can expect to see hummingbirds returning in the spring by region:

The first arrivals in spring are usually adult males, followed by females and immature birds. Weather and food availability in a given year can shift return dates slightly. But you can generally expect to see hummingbirds arriving back in your area within a month or two of average spring return dates.

How to attract returning hummingbirds

Here are some tips to welcome hummingbirds back to your yard in spring:

• Have feeders cleaned, filled, and ready to hang in early spring before hummingbirds arrive.
• Plant early-blooming flowers like columbine, bee balm, and sage to provide nectar.
• Set out ornaments, wind chimes, or other small décor as perches.
• Provide tree cover and small shrubs for shelter and resting spots.

With a little preparation, you can create an enticing spring habitat full of food and shelter to attract returning hummingbirds.

What keeps hummingbirds coming back each year?

Hummingbirds exhibit a remarkable ability to return to the exact same locations and even feeders year after year during migrations. What guides them to these loyal return sites?

• Visual landmarks: Recognizing landscapes, gardens, and unique flower arrangements.
• Smell: Detecting familiar scents like fragrant flowers and gardens.
• Internal compass: Navigating using the sun and stars.
• Memory: Recalling migration routes and directions.

Scientists believe hummingbirds use a combination of visual and olfactory cues, along with innate navigation senses, to find their way back to preferred feeding locations during seasonal movements. Providing reliable food, water, and shelter sources year after year helps ensure your yard remains imprinted as a special stopover site.

Conclusion

While the disappearance of hummingbirds from your yard can be disappointing, take heart that they’ll likely be back within months as they complete their epic migration loops each year. You can make your yard an attractive and welcoming space for hummingbirds during their brief spring and summer residencies by landscaping with their needs in mind and providing clean feeders. With a little effort, you may even convince a few hummingbirds to linger into fall before the migration urge calls them south again. But the reward of seeing hummingbirds return healthy to your yard each spring makes the wait worthwhile.