Each February, the magical migration of the hummingbird begins. Throughout the spring months, thousands of hummingbirds will migrate north from Central and South America, passing through mountainous states like Colorado on the way to their final breeding ground destinations. Some will travel as far as Canada.
Despite being the smallest bird in the world, hummingbirds can travel up to 23 miles per day. Some birds even flying 500 miles straight. They’re also quite fast, able to reach speeds around 30 mph by flapping their wings 15 to 80 times per second.
As you might expect, this hundred to thousand-mile journey requires plenty of fuel.
According to the Bird Conservancy of the Rockies, the migrating birds usually arrive in Colorado by mid-to-late April and depart anywhere from July to early September. During their stay, the hungry little birds feed on fresh blooms, small insects, larvae, spiders, and other natural food sources.
To see them, fill up your feeders with nectar products or fresh sugar water, changing it out every few days. You can also plant a colorful assortment of flowers in your garden for the hummingbirds to snack on. They often prefer varieties in red, pink and orange with cylindrical or trumpet-like blossoms.
Broad-tailed, Rufous, and Black-chinned hummingbirds are among the most common in Colorado. Other hummingbird species that often fly through the mountainous state include Calliope, Blue-throated, Magnificent, Anna’s, Rivoli’s, Ruby-throated, Broad-billed, White-eared, and Green Violet-ear.
Editor’s Note: While it is suggested to leave hummingbird feeders up until mid-October, you may actually want to remove them even earlier to avoid attracting black bears and other wildlife in the state.
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