Hummingbirds Migration and Range Amazing Facts!

The Long Journey

Hummingbirds migration routes are amazing feats of nature. The Ruby Throated Hummingbird flies 500 miles one way, non-stop, across the Gulf of Mexico. The Rufous Hummingbird flies 3000 miles on its route from Alaska to Mexico. This is the longest route of any of the species of Hummers. They perform this phenomenal feat twice a year!

Normally Hummingbirds will consume twice their weight in nectar on a daily basis. The Hummingbirds migration requires a significant increase in food consumption because of the energy spent. They will aggressively protect hummingbird feeders during their trip for this reason. They may stop along the way and spend some time at a location that has a hummingbird feeder and protect it vigorously.

Hummingbirds are native to South America. When the early Spanish explorers saw them they called them “Joyas voladoras”, meaning “flying jewels”. They had never seen such tiny acrobatic wild birds before arriving in the new world, because Hummingbirds are not native to the Eastern Hemisphere of the world.

There are 343 species of Hummingbirds in the Western Hemisphere. Most of these species are permanent residents of tropical and sub-tropical regions. There are 16 or “so” species that summer in North America and follow a Hummingbirds migration route south to warmer and more tropical climates in Central and South America in winter.

Sixteen species of Hummingbirds breed in North America where they enjoy the habitat. The south western regions of the United States host the largest variety of Hummingbirds in North America.

Three species are considered permanent residents of the United States and Canada, Anna’s, Allen’s and Costa’s. The Anna’s Hummingbird is the only one present all year in Canada. This Hummer can be found on Vancouver Island in British Columbia in winter. Some of the wild birds from this species though, will follow their hummingbirds migration route to more southern destinations for the winter season.

The only Hummingbird species that breeds east of the Mississippi is the Ruby Throated Hummingbird. But occasional sightings of other species are observed at feeders on a semi-regular basis.

Most Hummingbirds live all year or winter in Mexico, Central America and South America. To witness Hummingbirds in variety and numbers a trip to one of these more tropical climates would have to be undertaken.