Hummingbird Migrations in Connecticut

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

• Scientific name Archilochus colubris, the ruby-throated hummingbird measures about 3 inches from the tip of the bill to the tail, with the bill measuring 1/5 of that length. The adult male possesses a bright red throat, green back and black wings.The tails are pointed and forked and are often dark in coloring. The female differs from the male with a white throat and rounded and white-tipped tail feathers. The female is also generally larger than the male. Juvenile males resemble females, developing the ruby throats as they age.

Distribution and Diet

• The distribution of the ruby-throated hummingbird covers most of the eastern United States and southern Canada. In fact, the ruby-throated hummingbird is the only species that breeds in the eastern states. Their diet consists of the nectar of red and orange tubular flowers, such as trumpet vine, honeysuckle and morning glory. Along with nectar, ruby-throated hummingbirds also feed on insects, spiders and aphids.

Northern Migration and Arrival

• Ruby-throated hummingbirds arrive in Connecticut in early May, beginning their northern migration from their winter homes in southern Mexico and Panama as early as January. During the migration, the birds eat a steady diet of insects and spiders to fuel the journey. Some of the hummingbirds follow the land north, while others cross the Gulf of Mexico in one flight, making landfall in the southern Gulf States and Florida.

Mating and the Southern Migration

• After arriving at their summer destinations, ruby-throated hummingbirds begin the mating season, with males and females coexisting only during that time. Found mostly in open woodlands in the Eastern United States, females generally make their nests in deciduous or coniferous trees like oak, pine and birch. Females produce 1 to 3 eggs, with incubation periods lasting about 20 days. After mating and hatching young, the ruby-throated hummingbirds begin the southern migration, departing Connecticut in mid-September.