It looks like Hummingbirds have made their way back to northern Wisconsin, and I heard the little ruby-throated birds have been seen in Vilas County. NOW or within the next week, would be a great time to put up your red feeders to help them recover from their long trip.

In March males will start their trip north from Northern Panama or Southern Mexico with female ruby-throated arriving 1 to 3 weeks later. Hummingbirds prepare for this long journey by doubling their weight before migrating the 1000-mile trek.

The first part of that migration can be the most challenging due to flying 500 miles non-stop across the Gulf of Mexico that can take 18 to 24 hours. After their intensive long flight over water, they have burned that stored fat and need to rest and replenish their energy. At this time, they rely heavily on insects for protein and pursue nectar from early blooming flowers.

The most common hummingbird that is seen in the Northwoods is the RUBY-THROATED. The Ruby-Throated (main picture) is a male with red throat and bright green feathers, while female ruby-throated have a white throat and duller green feathers.

Hummingbirds rely on their eyesight and sense of smell to find a source of nectar and locate feeders because they are mostly red. They associate the color red to flowers that are rich with nectar. These tiny birds also have great memories and know where they found reliable food sources and will navigate back to the same feeder’s people hang every year.

The nectar used is basically simple syrup and easy to produce. ADD 1 CUP OF WHITE SUGAR TO 4 CUPS OF WATER in a pan and bring to a boil for 2 minutes while stirring. Once the sugar is dissolved, let it cool to room temperature and store it in a container that is easy to pour from. (We store ours in the refrigerator and have not had any problems). DO NOT ADD FOOD COLORING OR ANY DYES and use only WHITE CANE SUGAR. There is a high iron content in artificial sugar that hummingbirds CANNOT digest.

Besides the common LOON, seeing HUMMINGBIRDS back in the Northwoods is another sign that summer is getting close. So, put up your red feeders and enjoy viewing them licking up the nectar.