I'm in the Pittsburgh area, and if you're in the Indianapolis area, I imagine our hummingbirds are pretty much on the same schedule.

All of my hummingbirds were gone by mid September last year. By September, I only saw females and immatures, the males having left earlier. As for this year, I know I've seen one of my males within the last week, but don't remember noticing him the last couple of days. He may be gone, but I need to watch the feeders a little more closely to be sure.

I've got a great link for you to Powdermill Bird Banding Laboratory. It's located in western Pennsylvania, and they've been banding birds there for over 40 years. I'm connecting you to a graph showing the fall migration times for various species, based on frequency of banding at Powdermill. Ruby-throated hummingbirds are listed 3rd on the graph. The graph doesn't show males versus females, but it does show the timing for immatures versus adults. I do know that the males depart earlier, on average, adult females next, and finally the young birds that hatched that year. The graph shows that all of the birds are gone by late September, and that includes birds passing through from points north.

I think you get your hummers before we do in the spring, so I'm thinking maybe yours might stay a bit longer in the fall, if they take the reverse spring path southwards. I have this theory from the spring migration maps that the birds that wind up in western PA migrate up through the Mississippi valley, then across the midwest, and finally end up here. I'm wondering if they do the reverse in the fall, or if they just travel due south down the Appalachians. If their fall route is a reverse of my conjectured Mississippi valley spring route, then maybe they would be in Indianapolis later in the year than in western PA. Please don't quote me on this, I'm just wondering. No one really knows if this is so, but it sure seems like the birds that wind up in western PA in the springtime come via the Mississippi valley, then work their way east across the midwest. I wonder if they do the same in reverse in the fall. If so, wouldn't our last birds vacate western PA, then pass through Indianapolis days later? I don't know.

I hope you don't mind me giving you the encyclopedia Britannica, but I'm just fascinated by where they go, and yet there's very little in the way of definitive scientific research on the subject.

Here is a link that might be useful: Powdermill fall migration graphs

Kristen- thanks for the link and all the info and your theories, you may be correct. Just looked at the graph and its a steady downhill slide from sept 10 till the end of the month for rubythroats. Im about 30mi south of Indianapolis and may be slightly more south than you are ,but I noticed several males today at my feeders. They have been extremely active the past 2 or 3 days here so Im guessing the males may be gearing up to leave soon. I read in another migration site that they only travel about 20mi a day. Im going to keep my feeders going late this year for I read about the rufus hummers which have been documented to be in indiana from sept to nov. Would love to see one. If I see any hummer during that period it would be rufus. They evidently come back from alaska and canada . Its amazing that they can with stand the cold. Once again thanks for the link Kristen---Steve

You're welcome, Steve. Thanks also for the info on the Rufous Hummingbirds. I have been so focused on Ruby-throats that I've never even thought to look for that rare Rufous that might come through. I will do likewise and leave my feeders up. Maybe one of us will hit it lucky, although the odds might be like winning a lottery.

Take a look at another Powdermill link. It's about a Rufous Hummingbird sighting in western PA. The county is next to mine to the west. You have to scroll down a bit to get to it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rufous record in western PA

thanks for the new link , Kristen. You never know , but most likely any bird on our feeders in oct or later will be the [rufus,roufus] seen it spelled both ways. Perhaps we could keep in contact as to when our rubythroats leave, curious to know when yours are gone and if I still some that might indicate their migration route--steve

Kristen, Im so excited I can hardly take a breath. Its august 9 and its raining here ,but the hummers are very active , keep in mind the birds are wet and it would be hard to tell true coloring, but this bird arrived in front of my window feeder, fluttering he spread his tail feathers, which looked broad with vivid white tips, just like he was showing off for me. Now Im not sure I also know there is the broad-tailed hummer seen more in southern states, but I tell you, of all the rubythroats ive seen their tail feathers are usually very dark and forked, these tail feathers were broad and white tipped, you better calm me down, Kristen. I only saw this bird briefly for he just landed took a sip and was gone, wow. If it is what I think [afraid to say the word] now that he has found this food supply maybe I will see him again when its not raining and can judge better . Yes I still have at least one male here for I have seen him more than once today already. Steve

Check this out, Steve.

It is a female ruby-throated. I am in Virginia and I have three mature males and at least four immature males and they are all increasingly active around the feeders these past several days.

Dave

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Thanks Dave for the info and pic and you are correct , that is what I saw. I just hadnt noticed it before and got a little excited , since then Ive seen it again and yes they are the ruby-throat females and I have at least that many coming to my feeders and have been much more active lately. A person I was talking to from pittsburg said her males were already gone. Do you only have ruby-throats in your area? steve

Yes, we only see Ruby-throated in this area.

It's raining here today but the males are very active, (especially the adult males) in spite of it. I guess they want to bulk up before their departure.

Here's a guy taking a direct rain drop hit on the bridge of his nose.

Dave

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Thanks, Dave for the wonderful and useful pictures. I was going to try to explain to hummersteve that the adult females, and immatures of both sexes have broad tail feathers with conspicuous white tips. It is only the adult male Ruby-throats that have the dark, forked tails. But Dave, I hardly need bother, since your female Ruby-throat picture with fanned tail pretty much says it all.

If you haven't already checked, Hummersteve, click the link to Powdermill, "Rufous Record in western PA," that I included a few posts back. For comparison, if you scroll down you will see a similar picture of the spread tail of an adult female Rufous Hummingbird. There is a lot of rufous color visible in the basal half of the tail, that is not seen in a Ruby-throat's tail. If you take a look at the picture of the bird flying in the cage (a ventral view) this rufous color is also readily visible. In fact, a decent look at a flying bird from either above or below should have a noticeable amount of rufous. If you're hoping to see a rare Rufous, watch for that rufous in the tail!

I haven't had a chance to look for my male(s) because I've been tied up in some aggravating court business. Ugh! I didn't do anything wrong, mind you, just sticking up for my mom, a crime victim. I wish I could be doing more pleasant stuff like looking at hummers. When I do look, though, I am now seeing only immatures and/or females. I promise I will look hard this week and see if I can see the male. He might be gone, or I might just be missing him. I'm not absolutely certain. I'll let you know.

Yes thanks Dave for your info and pics, very nice . I dont have a digital camera , hope to get one soon. My males have been very active also , had to laugh this evening male was on the perch with a female coming trying to run him off and he wouldnt budge, she was almost on his back , he still wouldnt move finally had enough and run her off. Kristen I just hadnt really seen the vivid white tips the females have. When they flutter and spread those tail feathers it must mean something like look how big I am. anyway I will be curious when sept arrives , when the last one will leave. Yes I still have at least 2 males here. Like I said before I havent had many hummers till this year, a real bonanza for me--steve

"Here's a guy taking a direct rain drop hit on the bridge of his nose. "

WOW, I just have to say those pictures are incredible!

Hummersteve, and everyone else, now that I've had a little more time to watch my feeders, I'm sad to say that my male seems to be gone. I don't know if I had just the one all season, or more than one. They can be hard to tell apart. I suspect it was the same one because he always flew off in the same direction, but it's hard to know for sure because I couldn't make out any absolutely distinctive markings on him. I haven't seen him (or them) since early August, so he (or they) have either migrated, or something unfortunate has happened. I hope he's OK. Godspeed, little male hummingbird!

Meanwhile, the females and juvies still come. The Lobelia cardinalis is beginning to bloom, and I have a female who stops first at the Agastache, then the L. cardinalis, zips up to the Cardinal Climbers, and then on to the feeder. This late in the season, bees and wasps are getting to be a problem, so I'm glad I planted flowers for the hummers to visit. Competition with bees does not seem to be a problem there. It's strange that I had the same kinds of feeders last year, and had absolutely no trouble with wasps and bees, but this year it's different. The wasps can be quite possessive and territorial, having aerial dogfights with the hummers. The feeders don't really leak, and it's very hard for the bees to get to the sugar water, but they still come, sipping the minute amounts that spill out when the hummers feed. It makes me angry sometimes, watching the hummers getting chased away. I hope to goodness they don't get stung, but they do seem pretty good at fending for themselves. I admire the way they sneak in behind the bees, and poke their bills in for a quick sip. Some individuals will actually peck at the wasps to get in a quick drink. The wasp usually comes back with a vengeance, though.