When do hummingbirds leave Ohio? What to know, and when to take down feeders

Victoria Moorwood, Cincinnati Enquirer

Bye bye, birdie! Hummingbirds are packing up their bags and heading south.

These adorable, hardworking birds migrate north in the spring to breed. Changes in daily light and declining food supply signal it's time to head south in the fall. During migration, the tiny birds can travel up to 23 miles per day, and their hearts beat up to 1,260 times per minute, according to Hummingbird Central. When crossing the Gulf of Mexico, hummingbirds can fly up to 22 hours nonstop!

Some hummingbirds start their travels to Central America or Mexico, where they'll spend the winter, as early as July, but most wait until August or September. Hummingbirds in some areas, like California, don't migrate at all.

Here's what to know about hummingbird fall migration and how best to support their journey south.

Hummingbirds start to leave Ohio in September and head south for the winter.
Hummingbirds start to leave Ohio in September and head south for the winter.

When do hummingbirds leave Ohio?

Ruby-throated hummingbirds, which are common in Ohio, typically begin their travels south in September, Kathy Garza-Behr, a wildlife communications specialist at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, said. These hummingbirds, identified by their green backs, white bellies and red throats for males, arrive in Ohio in April and May.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds spend the winter in Central America, and many of them fly over the Gulf of Mexico in one nonstop flight, Garza-Behr said.

Another species, the rare rufous hummingbird, is sometimes spotted in Ohio during late fall and winter months.

When to take down hummingbird feeders in Ohio

According to the Ohio State University Extension, homeowners can keep hummingbird feeders up through October, or take them down when hummingbirds stop visiting them. Feeding hummingbirds in the fall will not discourage the tiny birds from migrating, the university says. Instead, feeders can help hummingbirds get the sustenance they need to make the difficult journey south.

How to make sugar water for hummingbirds

Here's a step-by-step guide, per the National Audubon Society:

  • Dissolve 1/4 cup of white sugar in one cup boiling water.

  • Let cool.

  • Fill hummingbird feeder with mixture.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: When do hummingbirds leave Ohio? When to take down feeders

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