Get your feeders ready: Hummingbirds are making their way to Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Famous for their bright metallic feathers, fast-fluttering wings and long beaks, a unique species of bird will soon arrive in Ohio.
Beginning in late February, hummingbirds embark on a journey to migrate north from their winter homes in Central America and Mexico. By late spring, the birds have typically arrived in the northernmost areas of the United States and southern Canada.
A northward migration during the spring offers hummingbirds favorable conditions to breed and raise young, as competition for food can be intense in the tropics, according to the American Bird Conservancy.
“In the next couple of weeks, probably about a week or two weeks from now, we'll start seeing them in Ohio,” said William Babb, a publications editor for the Ohio Division of Wildlife.
Hummingbird Central, a website that maintains a map of reported sightings of the bird, shows a handful of people have spotted the tiny fliers this month in states bordering southern Ohio.
Boasting bright metallic green and blue feathers, ruby-throated hummingbirds are the most common type of hummingbird in the U.S., and the species almost exclusively seen in Ohio. The eastern portion of the country primarily sees ruby-throated hummingbirds, while the West sees a variety of species.
“Occasionally we get a few other species of hummingbirds, but that's typically in the fall and winter, and those are western hummingbirds that just stop by, but they're pretty rare,” Babb said.
The first arrivers seen in Ohio this spring will likely be male. Male birds begin heading north earlier to establish their territory so they can court female birds, which arrive about a week later. Male ruby-throated hummingbirds are characterized by their bright red neck feathers, while females have a white or gray feathers in the same spot.
The species has a variety of unusual characteristics, including an excellent memory that can recall the location of bird feeders years later, according to the ABC. Hummingbirds are also the smallest birds in the world and have distinctive flying capabilities.
“Hummingbirds can hover and fly backwards and forwards, beating their wings over 50 times a second and just so fast that you can't even see the wings,” Babb said. “They're just super fast flyers and really acrobatic in terms of the way they can move.”
For Ohioans wanting to attract hummingbirds to their yard, Babb suggested putting up a hummingbird feeder. Anyone can create their own hummingbird nectar by adding four parts water to one part table sugar, boiling it, letting it cool, and adding it to a feeder.
“The important thing is when you're feeding birds to just keep that sugar and water, no dyes or anything like that,” Babb said. “Then make sure that you're cleaning feeders regularly and changing the sugar water regularly, especially in hot weather, just to make sure that the water stays healthy."
While Ohio is amidst a bird flu outbreak, there have been “relatively few” documented cases of the disease in typical bird feeder visitors, according to Cornell University. The university stated there has been no official guidance to take down bird feeders; however, it recommends keeping them clean to keep any diseases at bay.
Hummingbirds also enjoy nectar-rich flowers that are tubular in shape and bright in color. Some plants that can help attract the species are cardinal flower, salvia, bee balm, butterfly bush and trumpet honeysuckle.
Hummingbirds' affinity for bright colors can get them into trouble, with the birds often finding themselves trapped in garages or sheds. Babb said if someone finds a hummingbird in a structure, the best thing to do is give it time to leave on its own.
“Make sure it's got an opening and way to get out,” Babb said. “You don't want to try to chase it. You’ll just stress it out that way and cause it to fly erratically, maybe crash into something.”
Hummingbirds usually begin departing Ohio to travel back south in September, and by early October, Babb said they are typically gone.