are they already migrating?

[amazona]

I'm seeing an awful lot of Ruby-Throated Hummingbird action.

[blindpig]

1. not that I've noticed

Breeders seem to be doing their thing. Ours don't usually disappear until mid October. Most odd. Some recaptured banded birds might be enlightening.

[amazona]

2. well it's July now

I think on the 15th is when my local banders start again. I think the state of Louisiana already had 4 "winter" hummingbirds (all Rufous/Allen's) by July 15 last year but too lazy to look up the report at the moment.

I might be seeing some post-breeding bulking up around here. Not sure.

Just in case, I guess I better start the big house-cleaning in case I get something good and have a bander over. The room with best view of the feeders is a disaster area at the moment.

[amazona]

3. follow-up

Some other area hummingbirders are seeing post-breeding movement as well, so I guess the migration will be taking its first baby steps any day now.

[BeFree]

4. Migrating?

To where? As far as I know Hummers come to NA for the summer, do a limited hang out and then go south as fall sets in.

[amazona]

5. Ho boy, welcome to the wacky world of hummers!

Hummingbird migration is...complicated.

Many hummingbirds breed in the western United States and they migrate east for the winter, usually to the Gulf Coast, but especially the Rufous Hummingbird can be seen unexpectedly anywhere in the east in the winter. Even such northerly places as Michigan and Manhattan have hosted winter hummingbirds.

Calliope is quietly expanding their winter range as well and is now accepted on the Louisiana bird list. I myself discovered a wintering Calliope in my own backyard. They are not way common but they are not rare visitors as was once believed.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds usually follow the pattern you describe, but individuals are not above staying all winter if they feel like it. It used to be that we casually checked off all winter hummers of that type as Black-Chinned, but now we have expert hummingbirders who band the birds, examine the birds at close range, and take proper measurements, and it turns out that not all Ruby-Throats migrate. It seems to me that some Ruby-Throats mill around a bit, rather than migrating in a purposeful fashion. Yet I have been on Grand Isle and seen them coming in and landing in huge numbers in the oaks in a fall-out.