Please Put Out Your Hummingbird Feeders Now!

From the Brownsville Herald:

HARLINGEN — Hundreds of thousands of hummingbirds that migrate through drought-stricken Texas could become victims of the parched conditions along that route.

To help the tiny feathered travelers along the way, conservationists urge backyard birders and anyone who cares about them to set out a feeder or two.

Mark Klym, co-author of "Hummingbirds of Texas," said the drought has reduced the number of flowers that are a source of nectar and nutrition for hummingbirds.

Setting our hummingbird feeders will keep the birds hydrated and nourished, he said.

Klym, who is also the coordinator of the Texas Hummingbird Roundup at the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, said more than 18 species of hummingbirds will filter through parts of Texas and particularly through the Rio Grande Valley over the next eight to 10 weeks, the peak of the migrating season.

Norma Friedrich, president of the Arroyo Colorado Audubon Society, said Valley residents can play an important role in the birds’ survival.

She said maintaining a supply of food and water, during September and October, will help the birds survive the migration.

She said lawns and backyards filled with native plants play a crucial role, too, because they require less water than non-native plants, and are likely to continue blooming even through the drought.

Friedrich said she has seen more hummingbirds visiting her Harlingen home, where she has six feeders hanging from shepherd’s hooks in her yard.

Hummingbird migration season varies by species, but Klym said mid- July is considered the season’s start with some species traveling from as far north as Alaska to as far south as parts of Central America.

He said Rufous hummingbirds travel as far as 3,900 miles, the longest migration of any other species.

In addition to the Rufous, there are four species of hummers that frequent the Valley during their migration: buff-bellied, ruby-throated and black chinned.

Buff-bellied hummers are year-round inhabitants of the Valley and are the most frequently spotted species by birders here, Klym said.

Friedrich encouraged residents to feed the hummingbirds to ensure that the birds can reach their final destinations.