Where do hummingbirds migrate to from Pennsylvania?

by: James Wesser

Posted: Aug 26, 2023 / 08:42 AM EDT

Updated: Aug 27, 2023 / 12:25 PM EDT

(WHTM) — Now that you know what kinds of hummingbirds live in Pennsylvania and how they know when to migrate, you may want to know where precisely these birds head after the summer season draws to a close.

According to the American Bird Conservancy, these birds head to the tropical areas of Mexico and Central America. Pennsylvania’s most well-known hummingbird, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, can travel across the Gulf of Mexico in one day.

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Some of the male Ruby-throated Hummingbirds can migrate as early as mid-July. The American Bird Conservancy also has said that most of the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds wait until late August or early to mid-September to head south.

The heart of a hummingbird can bat up to 1,200 times a minute and flap its wings nearly 80 times a second. Both of those bodily functions need plenty of energy. Humminbirdcentral.com states that these little birds can gain up to 40% of their body weight before migrating to make the long journey over land and sea.

Hummingbird Central also says that Ruby-throated hummingbirds will start a migration day by eating in the early morning, traveling throughout the day, and then attempting to find food in the late afternoon to refuel and keep their body weight for the next day.

A hummingbird can travel up to 23 miles in one day. But when the little birds fly over the Gulf of Mexico, they can fly much longer lengths of time. Hummingbirdcentral.com says these little birds can fly for 22 hours non-stop.

The site says to keep your hummingbird feeders out as long as you can, this way birds that are coming from the north have more chances to refuel. This will make their migration trip easier as they travel south.