Hummers Still Here--Or Are They

Hummingbirds are such solitary creatures that they don't even migrate
together--as I once thought.  Leaving from North Carolina, they are all
usually gone by mid September, but they will stay longer if weather
conditions are warm or if they haven't gained enough weight.  They
(on average) double their weight prior to migration.  They may weigh
as much as 6.0 grams when migrating.  They log in about 19 hours of
flight, arriving at their first stopping point and weighing only 2.5 grams.

It is amazing to think of such a tiny bird flying that far, and they have
been doing such since the Ice Ages.  They are carnivores and prey on insects
for their protein intake.  Nectar from flowers and feeders is only the fuel
they use to fly around in pursuit on insects.

Although this is done in 2 week period, they do so in a solitary fashion.
Even mating is unusual.  The male hummers per more effort and time
in the courtship than the mating process.  When they mate, it takes
about 4 seconds, then each goes its separate way.  The female builds
her nest, and the male seeks another female.  Actually it is a survival
mechanism.  If the male stayed with the female, it would attract
predators to the area of her nest.

You may see groups of hummers migrating together, but that does not
mean they are litter mates, mates, or of any relationship at all.  Just
as the birds here now feeding may not be the original birds; the may be
Canadian cousins stopping for a feeding break. Each of these birds is
born with the knowledge to fatten up and then to migrate.  If too young
or ill or underweight, they may stop migration in South Florida and risk
wintering there.

These tiny unafraid birds fascinate and amaze me.  I will be saddened
to see them leave, but when they arrive back, I will have many more
feeders out for my tiny fierce birds.

(Note:  Most of this migration information came from hummingbirds.net
and the mating information, from World of Hummingbirds.com  I have
just begun to get my feet wet in the world of hummingbird knowledge.)