Sweeten nectar slightly to provide stronger energy and more calories to help hummingbirds combat the cold.Whether birders live in an area where hummingbirds naturally stay year-round or they have an unexpected hummingbird guest as temperatures drop, there are certain steps to take to help hummingbirds through cold snaps. Occasionally, a stray hummingbird may spend colder months in an unexpected area, but these incidents are rare and the birds either do not stay through the entire winter or else their survival is unlikely as the weather continues to worsen. In all these areas, mild winters still allow for adequate insects and flowering plants to provide food for hungry hummers. Hummingbirds also spend winters in southwestern and central Arizona, southern Florida, and along the Texas coast. This includes along the Pacific Coast as far north as southern British Columbia and the southern tip of Vancouver Island. In some areas, where winter weather is milder and food and shelter can be found year-round, hummingbirds will stay around even during the coldest months. But, Not All Hummingbirds Leave in Winter! ![]() Other hummingbirds venture into central and western Mexico, throughout Central America, or even along the Gulf Coast from Texas through the Florida panhandle. For some hummingbirds, such as the popular ruby-throated hummingbird, this may mean only going as far as southern Florida and the Florida Keys for the winter, as well as into southern Mexico, the Yucatan peninsula, and further south to western Panama. This ensures they are close enough to their breeding grounds that they can quickly return in the spring, staking out the best new territories and attracting mates right away. Most hummingbirds move just far enough south to survive the season. Many hummingbirds travel south to find suitable food and shelter for the winter, but they don’t always travel too far. Even if dedicated birders provide supplemental feeders, hummingbirds still get the majority of their meals from natural food sources and will seek out areas where food is abundant, which means these birds must leave in the winter. Their tiny bodies cannot cope with sustained cold, so they instinctively migrate to warmer areas where flowers and insects can be found through the winter months. ![]() Hummingbirds need abundant nectar and insects for adequate food, but when the temperatures drop and the days are cold and frozen, there are no food sources available for these flying jewels. But where do hummingbirds go in winter? Why Hummingbirds Leave in Winter ![]() Hummingbirds are some of the most sought after and desirable backyard birds, eagerly anticipated when they arrive in spring, brightening the summer months with their frequent visits, and missed in fall when they leave on their migrations.
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