It’s fun seeing the hummingbirds more frequently than usual, but when it is the end of August, I know they are eating extra before they head south for the winter and won’t be back until next May.
According to the Internet they increase their food intake by entering a feeding frenzy called hyperphagia – often gaining 25-40 percent of their body weight in just a few days.
The extra fat is essential for nonstop flights over long distances, including ocean crossings. I understand our Pennsylvania hummingbirds’ winter in Central America and southern Mexico.
This intense feeding period is a critical survival strategy that allows hummingbirds to complete long migratory journeys successfully.
Today there were two fighting over this feeder. That is why this one is on high alert. They move so fast when fighting that is is almost impossible to get a photo of them.
One thing that helps with the disappointment of seeing them leave is I know the winter birds will soon be arriving.
That’s interesting — I was seeing a lot of hummingbirds a month or so ago, and they have already disappeared, probably for the winter. It’s suddenly our hot summer season now, with temps between 90 and 100, even near the ocean!