Page 21 - World of Animals - Issue #31

Ruby-throated hummingbird

Miracle migration

These tiny birds travel the same route year after year

Staying put Breeding ground
Not all hummingbirds This is where the
migrate. Those that hummingbirds
are too old or too breed. In the summer
sick for the journey there are enough

will stay behind, as flowers and insects
well as young birds for the females to
that hatched too care for their young.
late in the season.
If the winter is mild,
they will have a good
chance of surviving.

Migration
route
Heading south
Hummingbirds don’t Winter site
wait until the food The winters are
disappears to start their spent in Central
journey south. By leaving America to escape
while food is still readily the colder weather
available, they never have of the north. Here,
to suffer from scarcity. the birds gorge on
insects and nectar.

A long way to go

Despite their small size, hummingbirds embark on huge journeys each year

The migration of the ruby-throated hummingbird Hummingbirds are solitary creatures and
is not particularly well documented, but studies migrate alone. Each bird returns to their favourite
on a small number of birds suggest they follow winter spot each year – anywhere between
the exact same route every year, even visiting the southern Mexico and Panama. They begin their
same gardens on the same day. return migration in January, eating every insect
In essence, they are tropical birds that evolved and drinking all the nectar they can. Putting on
during the last ice age. As North America thawed, a thick layer of fat is essential if they are to
the tiny birds expanded their range and took survive the journey home.
advantage of the plentiful food and nesting areas As the sun falls they begin their trip,
that were unused by other birds, cleverly avoiding crossing the Gulf of Mexico in one non-
competition for resources. As carnivores, their diet stop flight of 800 kilometres (500 miles)

relies on insects that are not around in the freezing that will cross the ocean or skirt the
winter and so they face a choice of migrating to coast. It’s a long way for a small bird

warmer weather, or risking starvation. and many will stop on fishing boats
Aside from the lack of food, ruby-throated or oil rigs to catch their breath. After
hummingbirds don’t cope very well with the cold 22 hours of flying, they reach the US

and as soon as the temperature dips below zero, Gulf Coast having lost half their body

life can get very difficult. As the days draw in and weight, and then continue northwards
there is less sunlight, this triggers the urge to put at a leisurely pace of 32 kilometres (20

on weight and move south. Males typically start miles) per day. The flowers begin to
to move before the females and leave as early as bloom, and the hummingbirds, hungry
mid-July. By late August and early September, from their long journey, make the most
peak migration season has begun. Even for the of following the flowering plants north.

young birds that have never migrated, making the By late May they are back where they
journey comes naturally, and after one migration, started, often in the place where they
they are likely to follow the same route every year. hatched. They really are creatures of habit.
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