North Carolina Hummingbirds Migration: 11 Documented Super Aviators

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Nine common questions about the migration of North Carolina hummingbirds are discussed in this article.

There Are Eleven Hummingbirds Documented As North Carolina Hummingbirds.

North Carolina Hummingbirds Listed In Order Of Frequency Seen:

Hummingbirds:	Number seen:	Documented:	% of total:
Ruby-throated	143,276	Documented	98.75%
Rufous	1,146	Documented	0.80%
Black-chinned	135	Documented	0.09%
Buff-bellied	123	Documented	0.08%
Calliope	114	Documented	0.08%
Broad-billed	76	Documented	0.05%
Anna’s	70	Documented	0.05%
Broad-tailed	63	Documented	0.04%
Allen’s	48	Documented	0.03%
Green-breasted Mango	22	Documented	0.02%
Mexican Violetear	5	Documented	0.003%
Total Hummingbirds:	145,078

When Do North Carolina Hummingbirds Arrive?

The earliest arrivals of North Carolina hummingbirds are seen in March, and new arrivals continue through June.
The heaviest North Carolina hummingbirds’ arrival time is at the end of April and the beginning of May.

North Carolina hummingbirds begin their spring migration north from as far away as Panama or as close as Mexico.

North Carolina hummingbirds arrive as early as March, while some late migrators may arrive as late as June, but by the end of June, all hummingbirds that are migrating further than North Carolina are gone from North Carolina.

The first migrating hummingbirds will be males, followed by females about a week later. The males arrive first to stake out the territory that they will defend as they try to attract a female.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are by far the most commonly seen North Carolina hummingbirds, and will probably be the first migrating hummingbirds to be seen in North Carolina.

Watch for the male’s vividly colored gorget; a week or so later, the females will begin to appear at your feeders.
See my article: How to Identify a Hummingbird’s Gender in 4 Easy Steps

According to the Missouri Department Of Conservation, if North Carolina hummingbird enthusiasts start feeding them when they arrive, there is less chance they will move on and will decide to spend the summer in North Carolina.

The first migrating hummingbirds will be males followed by the females about a week later. The males arrive first to stake out the territory that they will defend as they try to attract a female.

North Carolina hummingbirds starting their spring migration north from Panama City, Panama need to fly about 3,999 miles to reach Raleigh over land and 1,845 miles if flying across the Gulf of Mexico.
North Carolina hummingbirds starting their journey north from Mexico, at the United States’ southernmost border at Brownsville Texas, need to fly 1,681 miles to reach North Carolina.

Are There North Carolina Hummingbirds That Live in the State Year-round?

The Ruby-throated, Rufous, and Allen’s are three North Carolina hummingbirds that live in the state year-round.
Some other North Carolina hummingbirds will choose to over-winter in North Carolina, as will those hummingbirds too old or injured to migrate.

Hummingbirds that live in North Carolina year-round:

The general public is unaware of how cold-tolerant hummingbirds actually are.
Some banded hummingbirds have been observed at temperatures as low as -9 degrees Fahrenheit with a wind chill of -36 degrees Fahrenheit, according to eBird.org.

Which North Carolina Hummingbirds Breed and Nest in the State?

The Ruby-throated hummingbird is the only hummingbird that breeds and nests in North Carolina.

Ruby-throated – The Ruby-throated hummingbird has an extensive breeding area that covers the entire eastern half of the United States and extends into Canada as far west as Alberta.

The entire reason for northern migration, much like salmon swimming upstream to their place of birth to lay eggs, is to return to the area where they were born. There the female builds a nest, mates, and raises a family.

When a female hummingbird arrives at the breeding grounds, her attention shifts to building a nest and then looking for a mate.

Hummingbird females prefer to build their nests in deciduous trees, 10 to 20 feet above the ground.

It will take her between 5 and 7 days to construct the nest of materials such as plant down, moss, and fine plant fibers, decorated with lichens and held together by spider webs.
See my article: Hummingbird Parents: (Mating to Nesting)
See my article: Baby Hummingbirds: (Egg to Fledgling)

Each species of male hummingbird has its own unique mating dance ritual of courtship to attract a female. They do perfectly choreographed dives and dance maneuvers to attract a flirty female.
See my article: Hummingbird Dance: 5 Interpretive Explanations

During the mating ritual, there is no penetration since male hummingbirds lack external sexual organs.

The “Cloacal Kiss occurs when the cloacae, (pronounced “kloh-ay-see”), of both hummingbirds are brought together during the brief mating procedure, which lasts only three to five seconds.

After the Cloacal kiss, the female must begin building the nest immediately.

Each brood of hummingbirds typically produces two eggs, laid on consecutive days.

The majority of hummingbirds have two broods annually, although some may have more depending on the timing of their migration and the duration of the days they spend in their breeding areas.

North Carolina nesting hummingbirds usually have 2 broods per year but some may have time to work in a third brood.

When Should I Put Up My Feeders For North Carolina Hummingbirds?

North Carolina hummingbird enthusiasts should put out hummingbird feeders in March to attract the very earliest arriving migrating hummingbirds.
The majority of North Carolina migrating hummingbirds will arrive in May.

If migrating hummingbirds are fed when they start to arrive there is less chance of them moving on.

Hummingbird aficionados can reduce the likelihood that hummingbirds will leave the state and elect to spend the summer thereby providing food for them as soon as they arrive, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.

Approximately one week after the arrival of the male hummingbirds, the females will follow.

Other North Carolina hummingbirds will continue to arrive until about mid-June.
Hummingbirds seen in North Carolina after mid-June will be hummingbirds that will spend their entire summer in North Carolina.

Make sure to use high-quality nectar solutions in your hummingbird feeders; homemade nectar works best.
See my article: Forget Commercial Hummingbird Food, Try Making Homemade Nectar
See my article: The One Thing You Need to Eliminate From a Hummingbird’s Diet

How Long Do North Carolina Hummingbirds Stay in the State?

The Ruby-throated, Rufous, and Allen’s are three North Carolina hummingbirds that live in the state year-round.
Migrating North Carolina hummingbirds stay in the state for at least six months.
Some North Carolina migrating hummingbirds have been seen during winter, but most migrate south for the winter.

The general public is unaware of how tolerant hummingbirds actually are.
Some banded hummingbirds have been observed at temperatures as low as -9 degrees Fahrenheit with a wind chill of -36 degrees Fahrenheit, according to eBird.org.

Some migrating seasonal hummingbirds choose to over-winter in North Carolina and those too old or injured to migrate will be the only likely hummingbirds North Carolina hummingbird enthusiasts will see during the winter.

In Pennsylvania, a state known for its cold harsh winters, the Valley Forge Audubon Society reports winter sightings of the Allen’s, Calliope, Rufous, and Black-chinned hummingbirds.

Because hummingbirds have such long memories, they will revisit the flowers and feeders they frequented during their spring migration and will remember them when they migrate back to the south in the fall.
See my article: Hummingbird Adaptation and Remarkable Ability to Locate Food

The most common North Carolina hummingbirds seen during the hot summer months are the Ruby-throated hummingbird with Rufous hummingbird being a distant second.

Finding strategies to provide your hummingbirds with cool nectar might be crucial when the summer heat becomes unpleasant and tough to handle.
See my article: How to Help Hummingbirds in Hot Weather

When Do North Carolina Hummingbirds Leave the State?

North Carolina hummingbirds begin leaving the state as early as July, and by late October they have migrated to their over-wintering areas in Mexico and Central America.
The Ruby-throated, Rufous, and Allen’s hummingbirds live in North Carolina year-round.

Most of North Carolina’s migrating hummingbirds are gone by the end of October but a few stragglers might stay until the end of the year.

A few older hummingbirds will be the first to start the fall migration, maybe as early as late July, depending on their strength and energy, with the youngest hummingbirds finishing the fall migration by mid-November.

An article from the University of Southern Mississippi states that the hummingbirds that are the oldest will begin their migration earlier than the others.

This elongated migration time frame ensures late straggling migrants have enough food available to fuel their bodies before making the long taxing migration south for the winter.

Some migrating hummingbirds North Carolina will possibly see during the winter are migrating hummingbirds that are too old or injured to migrate.

The circannual (annual internal clock) and circadian (day internal clock) rhythms cause hummingbird migration.

The inclination of a single hummingbird to migrate is triggered by a variety of circumstances, including variations in temperature, time of year, and weather; other causes include a loss in food supplies and a reduction in sunshine due to shortened days.

Similar to the spring migration, male hummingbirds start the fall migration to the south first. As soon as the female hummingbirds have finished rearing their young to the point that they can travel independently, they will set out on their southern fall migration.

When Should I Take Down My Feeders For North Carolina Hummingbirds?

North Carolina hummingbird enthusiast should leave their feeders up all year to feed the year-round resident hummingbirds, the Ruby-throated, Rufous, and Allen’s hummingbirds.
And to feed the migrating hummingbirds that decide to over-winter in North Carolina or those too old or injured to migrate.

The dilemma hummingbird enthusiasts struggle with every year is whether to leave the hummingbird feeders up all year or take them down during the winter.

The challenge then becomes preventing the nectar from hummingbirds from freezing.
See my article: 11 DIY Ways To Keep Hummingbird Nectar From Freezing

Investing in a hummingbird feeder warmer, like the Hummer Health feeder heater, is one approach to prevent hummingbird nectar from freezing.
Unfortunately, it is only compatible with a select few types of hummingbird feeders, like the Aspect’s HummZinger feeder.

The Ruby-throated, Rufous, and Allen’s hummingbirds, who are North Carolina’s year-round residents, depend on the nectar that some hummingbird fans leave out all winter long.

Keeping hummingbird feeders up during the winter is a noble gesture that helps other migrating species that are injured or too old to migrate by providing them with nectar.
See my article: 11 DIY Ways to Keep Hummingbird Nectar From Freezing
See my article: Should I Keep My Hummingbird Feeder Out During the Winter?

Hummingbird enthusiasts who leave hummingbird feeders up all winter provide much-welcome nutrition for late migrators and hummingbirds too old or injured to migrate.

The general public is unaware of how tolerant hummingbirds actually are.
Some banded hummingbirds have been observed at temperatures as low as -9 degrees Fahrenheit with a wind chill of -36 degrees Fahrenheit, according to eBird.org.
See my article:  3 Reasons Why Hummingbirds Are Banded

Hummingbirds that depend on these wintertime feeders may die if hummingbird feeders are taken down in the middle of winter during periods of below-freezing temperatures.
See my article: 11 DIY Ways to Keep Hummingbird Nectar From Freezing

How Long Does It Take North Carolina Hummingbirds to Migrate?

It takes North Carolina hummingbirds 56 hours of flying at its average flight speed of 30mph to fly from Raleigh to the most distant Mexican border 1,681 miles away.
Hummingbirds migrating to Panama 1,845 miles across the Gulf of Mexico, or 3,999 miles over land, will need to fly 61 hours or 133 hours respectively.

Some fly at a relaxed distance as slow as 1 hour per day, and others fly up to 500 miles non-stop in about 20 hours as some do while migrating across the Gulf of Mexico.

Unlike other migrating birds, hummingbirds do not travel in flocks.
Individual hummingbirds travel according to their own internal clock.

This staggered migration pattern ensures resources are not consumed and depleted all at once.

Hummingbirds regularly acquire between 25% and 50% of their body weight as migration draws near by eating more nectar from feeders and blooming plants and by collecting more insects in midair for protein.

This rise in body fat provides the hummingbird with energy for its protracted migration flight.

Expect to see an increased volume of southern migrating hummingbird visitors to your feeders in North Carolina during this fall migration from September through October.

Hummingbirds that stopped by your feeders in the spring will remember exactly where it is, and they will probably stop by again en route to their overwintering grounds in Mexico and Central America.
See my article: Hummingbird Adaptation and Remarkable Ability to Locate Food

Where Do North Carolina Hummingbirds Go in the Winter?

Some North Carolina hummingbirds; Ruby-throated, Rofus, and Allen’s, stay in North Carolina all winter.
All North Carolina migrating hummingbirds travel south to over-winter in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.
Anna’s over-winter in upper Mexico and California.

Ruby-throated – The Ruby-throated hummingbird overwinters primarily in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. Ruby-throated hummingbirds are seen in some years, during the winter months, in scattered areas throughout the USA including New Mexico, Texas, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

Rufous – The Rufous hummingbird overwinters primarily in Mexico. Rufous hummingbirds are seen in some years, during the winter months, in scattered areas throughout the USA including New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.

Allen’s – The Allen’s hummingbird overwinters primarily in Southern California. The Allen’s hummingbirds are seen in some years, during winter months, in scattered areas throughout the USA including Texas, Tennessee, and as far north as Maryland, New York, and Wisconsin.

Black-chinned – The Black-chinned hummingbird overwinters primarily in Mexico. Black-chinned hummingbirds are seen in some years, during winter months, in scattered areas throughout the USA including Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and as far north as Maryland and Pennsylvania.

Buff-bellied – The Buff-bellied hummingbirds are not really migratory and live year-round in Southern Texas and the Gulf Coast of Mexico.

Calliope – The Calliope hummingbird overwinters primarily on the west coast of Mexico. Calliope hummingbirds are seen in some years, during winter months, in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.

Broad-billed – The Broad-billed hummingbird overwinters primarily in Mexico. Broad-billed hummingbirds are seen in some years, during the winter months, in scattered areas throughout the USA, including Texas, Arizona, Louisiana, Florida, and Utah.

Anna’s – The Anna’s hummingbird overwinters primarily in Southern California and the upper parts of Baja and Mexico. Anna’s hummingbirds are seen in some years, during winter months, in scattered areas throughout the USA including Texas, Missouri, Illinois (Chicago area), Maryland, Utah, and Idaho.

Broad-tailed – The Broad-tailed hummingbird overwinters primarily in Mexico and Guatemala. Broad-tailed hummingbirds are seen in some years, during winter months, in scattered areas in Western Texas.

Green-breasted Mango – The Green-breasted Mango hummingbird overwinters primarily in Southern Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.

Mexican Violetear – The Mexican Violetear hummingbird overwinters primarily in Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. Mexican Violetear hummingbirds are seen in some years, during winter months, in scattered areas throughout the USA including Arizona, Texas, and Louisiana.

Every hummingbird has an exceptional memory. Throughout their spring migration, they can recall every flower or feeder they visited, and they will revisit those spots every year.

Hummingbirds have been seen to return to a feeder even after it has been removed for a few years.
See my article: Hummingbird Adaptation and Remarkable Ability to Locate Food

For more information about North Carolina hummingbirds read my post:
Hummingbirds Found in North Carolina: (Pictures and Sounds)

Check out my other posts on Hummingbird Questions

Happy Hummingbird Watching!

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