A book at the library said some hummingbirds fly 500 miles non-stop over the Gulf

I was reading a bird guide from the local library in Springfield and it mentioned the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. It said they make a 500 mile flight over the Gulf of Mexico without stopping during migration. That seems impossible for something so tiny, but the book cited a study from the 90s. Do you think that's still the accepted view, or have newer tracking studies changed the story?

3 comments

3 Comments

nathanwalker1mo ago

That book is totally right, I saw a documentary on PBS last year that confirmed it. They use tiny radio tags now and everything. The crazy part is they have to DOUBLE their body weight in fat just to make the trip. I watched one get banded at a nature center in Florida and the guide said they basically turn into flying gas tanks. It still blows my mind that something that small can have that much endurance.

the_pat1mo ago

Yeah, that's a brutal trip. I can't imagine being that small and facing that kind of marathon.

jenkins.wade15d ago

Man I actually looked into this same thing a few years back when I was trying to figure out if the feeder in my backyard was worth keeping up during migration season. The old study is still the accepted gold standard, those tiny radio tags from the 90s held up better than people think. The key is what that other guy said about the fat loading, I read somewhere they gain about 40-50% of their body weight in fat reserves right before crossing. If you want peace of mind, set up a feeder with fresh sugar water a couple weeks before you usually see them and keep it going late into fall. It really does help them fuel up for the trip.