Takeaway: Hummingbirds are some of the world’s most ambitious migrating species, with some birds flying thousands of miles between winter habitat and summer breeding grounds.
Hummingbirds are some of the most prolific migrators in the world, with some species flying nearly 4,000 miles from summer breeding grounds to winter habitat. This is all accomplished by an animal just a few inches long that weighs about as much as a marshmallow and has a heart that can beat more than 1,000 times per minute.
Where do they come from and where do they go? And do they ever get off track? Let’s look at hummingbird migrations in detail.
How Do Hummingbirds Migrate?
Hummingbirds migrate by flying, and they often fly alone. They follow environmental cues like sunlight and food availability, and can fly 25 miles per hour for as much as 600 miles at a stretch.
What Is a Flyway?
A flyway is an informal flight path used by large numbers of birds as they migrate between breeding grounds and winter territories. While each species has a distinct flyway, there are four main north-south flyways in North America and others that cover Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania.
Of the four main North American flyways:
- Atlantic covers the Caribbean up the East Coast of the United States and into eastern Canada.
- Mississippi covers broadly the Mississippi River Valley into Ontario.
- Central covers Central America up through Texas and the Great Plains into much of Central and Arctic Canada.
- Pacific covers the Pacific Coast of Mexico up the west coast and Rocky Mountains into British Columbia, Yukon, and Alaska.
New tracking technology is uncovering facts about lesser-known flyways, such as those of the swallow-tailed kite, who fly from Ecuador and Colombia up through Nicaragua and the Yucatan Peninsula, and across the Gulf of Mexico to Florida.
Major Hummingbird Flyways
Most hummingbirds winter in central and southern Mexico, then fly north in the spring, with some crossing the Gulf of Mexico and others hugging the Gulf Coast, then dispersing across the United States and Canada.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird Migration
Breeding range: Eastern and central U.S. into southern Canada
Winter range: Southern Mexico, Central America, Florida, Caribbean
Spring route: Depart winter grounds in February-March, arrive in Canada by May
Fall route: Depart breeding grounds in August-September, cross Gulf of Mexico or follow Atlantic and Gulf coasts
Distance: Up to 2,000 miles each way
Rufous Hummingbird Migration
Breeding range: Pacific Northwest, Western Canada, Alaska
Winter range: Mexico and the Southwest
Spring route: North along the Pacific Coast
Fall route: South along the Rocky Mountains
Distance: Up to 3,900 miles each way
Calliope Hummingbird Migration
Breeding range: High-elevation western U.S. and Canada
Winter range: Southwest Mexico, Guatemala, Belize
Spring route: North along the Pacific Flyway
Fall route: South through the Rockies and Southwest deserts
Distance: Up to 3,000 miles each way
Black-chinned Hummingbird Migration
Breeding range: Western U.S., from Arizona to Washington
Winter range: Western Mexico, southern Texas
Migration route: Pacific Flyway
Distance: Up to 1,000 miles each way
Broad-tailed Hummingbird Migration
Breeding range: High-elevation Western U.S. south of Montana
Winter range: High-elevation Mexico and Guatemala
Migration route: Rocky Mountains
Distance: Up to 1,500 miles each way
Hummingbirds You Can See Year-Round
If you live in some parts of the southern United States, you may be lucky enough to have hummingbirds present year-round. These include:
- Anna’s: West Coast, particularly southern California
- Green-breasted Mango: South Texas
- Violet-crowned: Southern Arizona and New Mexico
- Berylline: Southern Arizona
- Costa’s and Broad-billed: Desert Southwest, but may migrate temporarily if food becomes scarce or cold temperatures invade
When Hummingbirds Get Lost
While most hummingbirds follow well-established routes, they can and do get off track. When this happens they are called “vagrants.” Here’s how and why it happens:
- Strong winds, big storms, or cold fronts–this is particularly true for birds flying over the Gulf of Mexico, which may wind up hundreds of miles off course
- Navigational errors–young and first-time migrants are most prone to heading the wrong way
- Food scarcity–If nectar-rich stopovers are destroyed or fail to bloom, hummingbirds may go in search of sweeter pastures
- Climate change–Warmer temperatures are shifting blooming schedules, which may confuse timing and routes
Seeing Hummingbird Migrations With a Smart Hummingbird Camera
With their fast movements and high energy drive, seeing hummingbirds can be difficult. With a smart hummingbird feeder, however, glimpsing both local and migrating hummingbirds is easy.
Smart hummingbird feeds like the FeatherSnap have features that can give you a glimpse into the world of migratory hummingbirds:
- Motion-activated camera that captures HD imagery and video
- Easy-to-fill nectar reservoir
- Multiple ways to hang or mount
- Solar panel for continuous operation