Q: Every year, I usually have hummingbirds come to the feeder by early April. But this year, I haven’t seen any and several of my friends have mentioned the same thing. Do you have any idea why?
—Sandra Meierhofer, College Park
A: Several reasons could lead to fewer hummingbirds in the Atlanta area this spring, Todd Schneider, a biologist with the state's Wildlife Resources Division Nongame Conservation Section, told Q&A on the News in an email.
Many of the birds seen in Georgia in April are passing through the state on the way to areas farther north.
“Use of a particular feeder or feeders in an particular area by migrants is dependent upon how quickly the migrants move through an area, how many individuals move through that area, and what other food sources, both nectar (flowers and feeders) and small insects, are available in that area,” Schneider wrote.
Winds can push birds quickly through the state, which could affect the amount of birds in a certain area, or even feeder.
Also, population numbers vary by year, “although we’re not certain as to exact numbers,” Schneider wrote.
“Some of these same factors can also apply to hummingbirds nesting in a particular area,” he wrote. “Available food resources, constraints of nesting and the number of hummingbirds nesting in an area can determine whether a particular feeder is used or whether feeders in a particular area are used more heavily or less frequently.”
Andy Johnston with Fast Copy News Service wrote this column. Do you have a question? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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