The first hummingbirds of the season are passing through the Natural State, so enjoy them while they last, says Randy Feagin, White County Master Gardener.
Master Gardeners is an extension program of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
Of the 340 known species of hummingbirds, only 21 reach the United States. Until recently, the only one to nest in Arkansas was the ruby-throated hummingbird, says Feagin. Last year, rufous hummingbirds were seen in some southern counties.
"The vanguard of the ruby-throated hummer migration has started, and so we are seeing a few males passing through on their way to the northern states and southern Canada," says Feagin. Males are easily identified by their gorgets—bright and iridescent feathers on their heads. Females are green with gray backs and breasts.
These "beautiful flying jewels," he says, are heading north from their wintering grounds in Mexico and Central America. Powerful wing muscles and fat reserves allow hummingbirds to make this migration several times over their five- to six-year lifespan.
The normal flight speed of hummingbirds is 25-30 miles per hour with about 80 wing beats per second, but can increase to 200 beats per hour in dives that can reach 65 miles per hour, says Feagin.
In other words, they can get here in a hurry.
Get those hummingbird feeders out now – once the days get longer, hummingbirds will start establishing territories for their breeding season. Keep your feeders full through the fall to bring in hummingbirds on a regular basis, says Feagin.
"After most of their kind have started their return migration south, juvenile birds may still arrive seeking nectar," he says. "By keeping your feeders full, you serve as a way-station on their way." Hummingbirds migrate by the length of day, not the amount of available food, so this pit-stop will not hinder their migration at all, he says.
For more information on hummingbirds and their migration, contact your county Extension office or visit the Cooperative Extension Service, which is a part of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
