Over the past couple of years, avid hummingbird watchers have noticed the birds migrating back up North earlier and earlier. This is especially true this year because we had such a mild winter and are starting out with a warm spring.
Hummingbirds are one of the longer distance migratory songbirds. Even though they are very small and weigh about three grams, they migrate all the way down to South America and the Caribbean. This means they experience all kinds of factors that impact the timing of their arrival in Southwest Virginia.
However, the first hummingbird of the season was spotted in Roanoke on Sunday, April 2. A birdwatcher, who has been keeping records since 1988, says this is the earliest they have ever spotted the bird.
Ashely Peele, Ph.D., an avian ecologist and research scientist at Virginia Tech, says, “One of the things that we have been seeing is that many migratory species of birds are starting to arrive here earlier and earlier. That has been going on for quite some time. In particular, this year, since we have had such a warm spring and there is a lot that is thrown off in terms of plant phenology, like when things are going to start greening up.”
A second hummingbird sighting was seen in Martinsville on April 3. So as that pattern continues, we can expect to see more birds in the coming weeks.
These early sightings could be a problem for the species. According to Peele, hummingbirds usually don’t arrive in Southwest Virginia until late April. The reason the early arrival can be a problem is because our environment, such as plants and greenery, is not ready yet.
However, we can help these early birds have enough food to eat by putting out feeders. Peele says when it comes to what to put in your feeder, the simpler, the better.
“I always recommend folks stick with glass feeders or feeders that are not plastic that won’t break down in the sun. For the food, the simplest thing is just white sugar and water. So during migration, it is one part sugar to three parts water and then during the breeding season, it is just one part sugar to four parts water,” says Peele.
She says there are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to what to feed hummingbirds. Peele says you want to avoid food that contains a lot of additives or red dye. This is really bad for the birds.
Hummingbirds rely on a diversity of plants. That is why our region is such a popular spot for them to migrate to. Another way you can help the species is by researching which plants are native to our area and plant them in your own yard.