Sep 30, 2020 | Featured in: Watching Backyard Birds, October 2017

Keep Your Hummingbird Feeders Up

A rufous hummingbird visits a backyard feeder on a gray fall day.
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You've probably heard the myth: Take down your hummingbird feeders in the fall or the hummers will "forget" to migrate. It's not true. Birds, including the hummingbirds at our feeders, are programmed by instinct to migrate when their inner clocks tell them to leave. Changes in daylight (in terms of the length and intensity of sunlight) and weather dictate the birds' departure date. There's no way your feeder will interfere with a bird's migratory urge unless the bird is hindered from migrating by some other factor such as illness or injury. Sick or injured birds and late migrants from points to the north of you will benefit from your late-fall feeding station. Leaving your hummer feeders up will do no harm, and it might even do some good. Just make sure your feeders are clean and the solution is fresh. No need to keep the feeders full at this time of year, but do provide a bit of fresh sugar water until it starts to freeze overnight.

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  • Re: Ask Birdsqatch: Feeder Marauders » Watching Backyard Birds.com
    I have the same situation. The feeder is attached to the middle of a large picture window that goes ceiling to floor w/ no ledge or sill for animals to climb or balance. Yet every morning all the sunflower seeds have been cracked open and hulls left. Any ideas what it is?
    by Liza Fox, Sun, 15 Nov 2020
  • Re: Ask Birdsqatch: Feeder Marauders » Watching Backyard Birds.com
    I have a bird feeder that sticks to my window and I've been hearing noises against the window at night right now its going on. But whatever it is it is aware of me. And when I get to window it leaves.I can't imagine a squirrel or mouse or possom being able to get at it. ...So as I was reading this article im to assume no bird eats at night. Or no birds will eat at night. Why is that? Then im also thinking of a sinereo that could a lost confused bird eat at night. This eating thing is watching meI turn out the light go there noise dissappears..Thank you.
    by Nosferatu, Thu, 05 Nov 2020
  • Re: Ask Birdsqatch: Feeder Marauders » Watching Backyard Birds.com
    I have metal baffles (cones) on my pole for my bird feeders. Something is still tempting them at night. What else could it be? Deer???
    by Ella Spencer Connolly, Thu, 27 Aug 2020
  • Re: Only True Love Stills the Mockingbird » Watching Backyard Birds.com
    I found where he lives, then I keep him up all day by singing at full volume! Hah, that'll show the little sucker!
    by Pike Juan, Tue, 11 Aug 2020
  • Re: Millet vs. Milo » Watching Backyard Birds.com
    I never knew feeding birds could be so confusing. I love watching the birds in my backyard even though I don't get a very big variety.
    by JustMyOpinion, Sun, 26 Jul 2020