# Where have my hummingbirds gone? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 21, 2008, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-my-hummingbirds-gone/464529 "2008-09-21T12:16:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-my-hummingbirds-gone/464529/1 "2008-09-21T12:16:44Z")
Actually, I think I know: the winds of Hurricane Ike blew through here last Sunday, with gusts up to 60 mph! Poor little birdies. Does anyone with birding experience know if they’ll return? Or if any more will find my feeders at this point in the season? I’d gotten attached to the zippy little darlings, territorialism and all, and I’d like to see them back! ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-my-hummingbirds-gone/464529/2 "2008-09-21T12:25:20Z")
I don’t really know, but I’ll ask my sister, who is into birdwatching in a big way. She has hummingbird feeders as well. ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-my-hummingbirds-gone/464529/3 "2008-09-21T13:24:58Z")
Isn’t there some folk-wisdom rule about not feeding them after a certain date so they will migrate on time and not freeze to death? Maybe it’s just time for them to go for the year. ---
**Author:** ![Fritz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c57346/32.png) [@Fritz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fritz)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-my-hummingbirds-gone/464529/4 "2008-09-21T13:38:01Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > Actually, I think I know: the winds of Hurricane Ike blew through here last Sunday, with gusts up to 60 mph! Poor little birdies. > > Does anyone with birding experience know if they’ll return? Or if any more will find my feeders at this point in the season? I’d gotten attached to the zippy little darlings, **territorialism** and all, and I’d like to see them back! Contentious little buggers, aren’t they? I’ve got two feeders out on my porch, and I’ve been watching some epic battles. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-my-hummingbirds-gone/464529/5 "2008-09-21T13:58:09Z")
They usually leave for their migration around Labor Day. If you fed them this year, they will be back looking for your feeders come spring. They will bring friends. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-my-hummingbirds-gone/464529/6 "2008-09-21T22:03:39Z")
Yay! I hope they bring friends. I brought in my hummingbird feeder and replaced it with a seed feeder for the winter crowd. ---
**Author:** ![CAT\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9dc877/32.png) [@CAT\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CAT_1)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2008, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-my-hummingbirds-gone/464529/7 "2008-09-21T23:11:06Z")
I just read up on the migration patterns of hummingbirds last week. I found out a lot of interesing things. I will look for the link. I[nteresting site about hummingbirds.](http://www.hummingbirds.net/migration.html) ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2008, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/where-have-my-hummingbirds-gone/464529/8 "2008-09-22T00:30:04Z")
I’ve seen a single hummingbird darting around some of the flowers on my deck the past few days. I’m considering getting a feeder next spring. I assume there’s not a lot of point putting one up now if they’re going to be migrating soon.