Ruby Throated Hummingbird pt.3,Migration and Habitats

While there is much information available on the ecological relationships between the ruby throated hummingbird and the plants, flowers, and insects that it thrives upon, very little is actually known about the migration patterns that the birds take during spring and fall.

Summer grounds are also known as the breeding grounds of the ruby throated hummingbird. These cute little bundles of energy spend a good deal of their days feeding both, themselves and their young. There are thirty-eight states in the U.S. and seven provinces in Canada that are regular breeding grounds for the ruby-throated hummingbird. These states include: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and eastern parts of Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and a tiny strip of northern Montana. Canadian provinces include: New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the southernmost portions of Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, and Saskatchewan.

The birds tend to settle at the edges of boreal forests, backyard gardens, orchards, and wooded parks. The word here is, Location, Location, Location! It is important that these little birds find a habitat that is safe and where food supplies are plentiful. While preparing for the fall migration trip, the ruby throated hummingbird must eat enough to amass a large fat and energy supply.

Fall migration can begin anytime from August to November, depending upon the location of the summer habitat. Ruby throated hummingbirds that breed in Canada must fly south to the Gulf Coast. This trip is composed of approximately 1000 miles or 1600 km. Once they have reached the Gulf of Mexico, there is another trip of about 525 miles or 845 km across the Gulf and down into Central America. It is rare for the hummingbirds to winter even in the warmest parts of the United States. They seem to prefer northern Panama and central Mexico.

The migration or flight paths used by the ruby throated hummingbird differ from area to area. At one time, it was believed that all the birds gathered in south Florida and then flew to the Yucatan. But this is only true for some. It has been noted that many ruby-throated hummingbirds seem to gather in Texas and Louisiana around mid-September. They will then depart for Central America, some flying across the Gulf and some flying through Mexico on an overland route. It takes approximately 20 hours to fly across the Gulf of Mexico. The average rate of speed during this flight is 40 kph.

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