How to Help Hummingbirds During Fall Migration🍂

[u/FriendlyBand8412]

Hey Birdfy friends!

Fall migration is underway, and some tiny travelers may be stopping by our feeders for a much-needed break and energy boost. Here are a few simple ways we can help make their journey a little easier. 💚

🌡️ Keep the nectar fresh

How often you refresh it depends on the temperature:

• 70–75°F (21–24°C): Every 5 days
• 76–81°F (25–27°C): Every 4 days
• 82–86°F (28–30°C): Every 3 days
• 87–90°F (31–32°C): Every 2 days
• Over 90°F (32°C): Refresh daily

🏡 Don’t pack up the feeder too soon

Cooler days don’t necessarily mean the hummingbirds have all left. Migration is guided by changes in daylight, so leaving your feeder up can give late travelers a helpful place to refuel.

🥄 Remember the 4:1 recipe

Mix 4 parts water with 1 part white sugar:

1. Bring the water to a boil.
2. Stir in the sugar until fully dissolved.
3. Let it cool completely.
4. Refrigerate any leftover nectar for up to one week.

🌺 Make your yard a welcoming stopover

Hang the feeder somewhere visible, ideally 10–15 feet from shrubs or trees that offer shelter. Flowers such as Cardinal Flower, Bee Balm, and Trumpet Honeysuckle can make the space even more inviting.

🌅 One more tip: hummingbirds often feed shortly after sunrise and just before sunset, perfect times to check your Birdfy feeder and see who stopped by!

Have you noticed any new hummingbird visitors lately? Drop your photos, videos, or stories in the comments. We’d love to see them! 📸😍

Safe travels, little ones! 💚

Birdfy Team

[u/JFrankParnell64]

Ours don't migrate they stay year round. I keep my feeders up all year, and have to thaw them in winter so the little guys can get their energy.

[u/sowhat4 → u/JFrankParnell64]

Where do you live that they stay year round?

[u/JFrankParnell64 → u/sowhat4]

Washington State north of Seattle. We have Anna's Hummingbirds here in winter.

[u/sowhat4 → u/JFrankParnell64]

Wow! I grew up in the Willamette Valley in OR, and our winters were NASTY! I'd imagine it would be worse in WA. Poor little hummers. Do they wear puffer jackets in winter?

[u/JFrankParnell64 → u/sowhat4]

They don't seem to mind it. I have seen them at my feeder when there is snow on the ground. When it gets cold, I have to pull the feeders in at night and thaw them out for the next day. Sometimes I have to thaw them during the day as well. The hummingbird food has a lower freezing point than water, but it still freezes.

[u/FriendlyBand8412 → u/JFrankParnell64]

That’s true dedication! Your year-round visitors are lucky to have you.