Winter feeding hummingbirds - Ask Extension
What is the best thing to do in winter for hummingbirds? I want to feed them, but am not sure if this is a good idea. Last winter I left the feeder ou...
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Winter feeding hummingbirds #778171
Asked November 20, 2021, 7:34 PM EST
What is the best thing to do in winter for hummingbirds? I want to feed them, but am not sure if this is a good idea. Last winter I left the feeder out, and we had three birds. However when we had a very cold snap at the beginning of the year they disappeared, and I was afraid they didn't survive.
I am used to Colorado, where the hummingbirds very sensibly hightail it for points south in the fall.
We are on the central coast.
Would appreciate your advice!
Lincoln County Oregon
Expert Response
Hi Eve,
Anna's Hummingbirds are year-round residents in western Oregon. They are quite resilient to changes in the weather and may move around to stay warm and find diverse food sources. I don't think there is any contraindication to feeding hummingbirds in winter. They will prefer flower nectar over feeders, and also supplement their diet by catching insects when possible. So I'd say, keep doing what you're doing! It sounds like you already know the best practices for feeding hummingbirds, but here is a relevant OSU Extension article on the topic: https://today.oregonstate.edu/news/offer-nectar-tempt-hummingbirds-garden
Best,
Chris
Anna's Hummingbirds are year-round residents in western Oregon. They are quite resilient to changes in the weather and may move around to stay warm and find diverse food sources. I don't think there is any contraindication to feeding hummingbirds in winter. They will prefer flower nectar over feeders, and also supplement their diet by catching insects when possible. So I'd say, keep doing what you're doing! It sounds like you already know the best practices for feeding hummingbirds, but here is a relevant OSU Extension article on the topic: https://today.oregonstate.edu/news/offer-nectar-tempt-hummingbirds-garden
Best,
Chris
Many thanks for the hummingbird info. We have a super aggressive Anna's who is named Attila the Hum, and I wouldn't want to be responsible for his demise!
