Leaving their tropical winter habitats where they've been staying this winter, these smallest of all birds will soon be making their annual migration north. The hummingbird's instinct to migrate is driven by surging hormones, regulated by the length of daylight hours. Males may migrate northward as much as three weeks earlier in the springtime than the females. Scientists feel that the reason for this earlier trip of the males allows them to scout ahead for areas of food in unknown areas. And the females, who will be nesting soon, will find larger flowers with more nectar to drink by leaving a little later.
Hummers are quite capable of covering astounding distances each trip back north.
And there's not one bit of evidence, despite the old folklore, that hummingbirds ride on the backs of geese. Most people in North America will share their gardens with a hummingbird or ten. To entice these birds to your home, start planning now for the arrival of hummers in your area. Perhaps this year you may want to plant a hummingbird garden. These books are available from several online bookstores such as Amazon Books and Book Stacks Unlimited.