If you love watching hummingbirds visit your yard, you may wonder whether to keep your hummingbird feeder filled with nectar through the winter or take it down until spring.
My initial thought was that keeping a hummingbird feeder up through the colder months would stop these beautiful birds from migrating, but is this really true?
The pattern of migration
During the summer, hummingbirds can be spotted across North America, but most head south to migrate after the breeding season.
I assumed hummingbirds migrate to find rich-nectar flowers and tiny insects that keep them fuelled, but the truth has more to do with daylight.
Hunger alone doesn’t make them fly south. Their internal biological clocks recognize changes in daylight hours, triggering hormonal shifts that drive them south. Only those not strong enough to make the flight get left behind.
The exception to the rule
While most of these tiny creatures fly south to warmer climes in Mexico or Central America, some stay behind. According to the American Bird Conservancy, Anna’s Hummingbirds tend to remain along parts of the West Coast, while you might spot the Ruby-throated Hummingbird across certain sections of southern Florida.
Did you know?
Photoperiodism is how hummingbirds, and other living plants and animals, react to changes in daylight hours. According to ScienceDirect, shifting daylight cues trigger seasonal behaviors like bird migration.
Why leaving your hummingbird feeder up can help
Healthy hummingbirds will head south as daylight hours decrease, but strugglers will hold back. Leaving your feeder out for two more weeks after their fellows have flown can help them catch up and build the strength to migrate. It can also act as fuelling stations for those who have already taken flight, and want to swoop in for a feed.
If you decide to keep your hummingbird feeder up in winter, taking good care of it and replenishing the food regularly will help these tiny creatures survive. When other food sources like nectar and insects are harder to find, they will rely on your familiar spot for nourishment.
Maintaining your feeder
A drop in temperature changes how you maintain your hummingbird feeder, rather than whether you should take it down. According to Pops Birding, nectar at the standard 1: 4 ratio — that’s one part white sugar to four parts water — freezes a little below the freezing point of cold water.
So, when the temperature gets chilly, you can either bring your feeder in at night to keep it from freezing or run two on rotation so one is always thawed.
Your hummingbird feeder also needs to be kept clean, as nectar residue is a breeding ground for mold and bacteria. When pouring fresh nectar into your feeder, clean it out first, and change the nectar every 2-3 days in normal conditions, in winter it can go a few more days. However, if it looks cloudy or you spot visible mold, Pop’s Birding recommends cleaning your feeder and replacing the nectar immediately.
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