![]() The first arrivals in spring are usually males. To support this high energy level, a hummingbird will typically gain 25-40% of their body weight before they start migration in order to make the long trek over land, and water. Their average speed in direct flight is in the range of 20-30mph, and up to three times that fast during courtship dives.ĭuring migration, a hummingbird's heart beats up to 1,260 times a minute, and its wings flap 15 to 80 times a second. However, during migration as they cross the Gulf of Mexico they may cover up to 500 miles at a time. Research indicates a hummingbird can travel as much as 23 miles in one day. They are also experts at using tail winds to help reach their destination faster and by consuming less energy and body fat. Flying low allows the birds to see, and stop at, food supplies along the way. Hummingbirds fly by day when nectar sources such as flowers are more abundant. ![]() ![]() Many hummingbirds spend the winter in Central America or Mexico, and migrate north to their breeding grounds in the southern United States as early as February, and to areas further north later in the spring. Interactive 2014-2019 hummingbird migration and sightings map
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