When to take Hummingbird feeders down
No exact time you should take hummingbird feeders down, as one or a few late to migrate hummers can ruin what appeared to be an easy plan.
What may seem like an easy task to take down hummingbird feeders, between mid-August and mid-September; a few stragglers can force you to carry on using hummingbird feeders, just as you always have. When to take down feeders is in early fall, but only weeks after the last hummer was seen.
Certainly no exact time or day you can take down hummingbird feeders, as its entirely up to how the hummers behave in your yard.
Within a month time frame, this would be when you can think about pulling down all hummingbird feeders, if no hummer is seen in over a week or more.
Come the middle of August, you can stop filling hummingbird feeders as you then think about taking them down once the nectar is gone.
If the nectar has been used then you can take that as a hint of their presence, hummers may continue to be feeding. Replenish feeders as usual then while cleaning them out to maintain a bacteria-free feeder, as they are still in use.
Early September would normally see all hummers migrate, but for a few they can remain for weeks more - with mid-September being the cut off.
Guarantee all hummers have migrated is down to you, as you observe your yard over the next week or more to be sure hummers have not returned.
In which case you can take down hummingbird feeders knowing it will no longer be used.
Don't feel by continuing to fill up feeders it encourages hummers to stay put; this isn't true as late-to-migrate birds is nothing new - nor can it be changed by you as migrating birds have it ingrained in their genes to migrate.
Clean the hummingbird feeder with a vinegar or bleach solution to kill off any bacteria or mold - then put it away for storage until these hummers return for the Spring.
When to take down hummingbird feeders is by mid-August up to mid-September; then you can put your hummingbird feeders out in March to catch all early arrivals.
Make sure to take down hummer feeders to secure indoors when they've all migrated, but more importantly to stop nectar spoiling in cold weather, or indeed feeders getting damaged in a storm through the day or overnight.
Take down Hummingbird feeders in Fall
With the exception of a few hummingbirds belonging to the Rufous or Anna's hummingbird - they can remain in parts of the US without migrating south for the winter.
To take down hummingbird feeders when there's Rufous or others hummers remaining in your local area to feed, there's certainly a risk of them going without.
This can apply to most of you in the south and across the Gulf Coast where these hummers can remain.
Hummers will find a way to continue feeding in hotter States where availability of nectar remains high, but for most of us there can be a time to empty feeders of their sugary-water, to store away for next year.
What time to take down an hummingbird feeder can only be known by you; as you observe their feeding behavior in your backyard - you will get a better understanding when they've actually gone for good.
Come mid-August you can begin the process of fazing out your hummingbird feeders, that is until early fall - so September - you can remove feeders all together.
When hummers continue to occupy your yard to feed on feeders, then continue to cater to them until the last straggler as left, and never to be seen again.
Keep up until last hummingbird seen
What do you do if hummingbirds remain in your yard whilst continuing to regularly be seen for many more months to come?
Well, to put it simply you continue to keep your hummingbird feeders in place, while continuing to replenish with homemade nectar - and to clean out feeders once or twice a week.
Continue to do this up until you see the last hummer in your yard disappear long after the last sighting.
Few days won't be enough and nor would a week or so, as a full month of keeping up your hummingbird feeder would allow you to be absolutely sure, and in turn is a safe solution for fazing out hummingbird feeders.
Because you haven't seen the last hummer for a long time, that is not to say its gone as you may of just missed it.
I therefore recommend you to continue to feed these late-to-migrate hummingbirds until weeks or a month has past. Only then can you be sure there's no more hummers remaining, especially as we head into late October.
Similarly, these same hummers still might be birds that decide not to migrate at all, so if you are in the vicinity of the Gulf Coast - then continue to feed hummers the whole time, as they continue to rely on feeders more in the south, if they remain.
No discouraging a longer stay
Whilst hummingbirds continue to stay late into the fall in your yard, do continue to feed these birds despite others telling you not to.
People do believe that to continue feeding hummers, it only encourages them to stay longer. While feeders are convenient, this doesn't stop hummers migrating south, and that is south for the winter remember.
Hummingbirds, much like other migrating birds have it buried into their brains when to migrate, due to the change in season. To continue feeding these late stayers has nothing to do with you - only with the late to migrate hummers personal choice.
Hummers don't all flock together, nor should they disappear with others; its possible lonesome hummers are simply not ready to migrate, when they can put it off for a few more weeks.
In this time, hummers continue to use your hummingbird feeder as a convenience, or else they will simply use other feeders close by, or resort to nectar plants in the wild.
You cannot encourage a longer stay for hummingbirds in your yard by simply keeping the feeders topped up while not taking them down.
Never take down hummingbird feeders to discourage this, as hummers will go in their own time, which is usually not far away.
Sign of frost or damage to nectar
Other than knowing to take down hummingbird feeders in your yard come mid-August to mid-September as hummers have migrated, reasons could be something else entirely.
Now this can apply all year round, and just as you would take down regular bird feeders for use with peanuts, seed mixes or suet - you'd need to do so with hummingbird feeders to avoid the nectar frosting up within the plastic or glass bottle.
Any sign of overnight frost, or perhaps if its forecast for the coming days, be sure to remove the hummingbird feeders to stop the nectar spoiling overnight.
Spoiled nectar due to frost can ruin the sugary-water, whilst bringing it indoors to allow it to sit at room temperature can preserve it for longer.
As its only going to be homemade nectar, you can simply empty the old nectar and replace it with fresh ready for morning visitors.
I will also say while frost can damage the nectar, an incoming storm can break your expensive hummingbird feeders if allowed to hang out all night.
Take down hummingbird feeders if below freezing conditions are expected overnight; but more importantly protect your actual feeders by bringing them indoors in case they come crashing to the ground in windy conditions.
Issues if NOT taken down
Wait until you see your last hummingbird commencing mid-August to mid September, then with no sight in weeks you can take down hummingbird feeders.
Like I've previously said there's no issues to be had if you decide to keep the feeders up in place, rather than remove them as no hummers return.
That is not to say hummingbird feeders shouldn't be taken down to be clean; as you used to clean hummingbird feeders once or twice a week while they were being used - now you can clean the hummingbird feeder one more time until next year.
Failing to clean a hummingbird feeder even when its not being used at all or very little can allow mold or bacteria forming in the feeders.
To avoid mold developing you must clean the hummingbird feeder before putting it away in storage - as sugar remains the culprit of mold developing inside feeders.
Clean the feeder to put it back up if you need too, but remember an empty feeder not in use must still be cleaned if left outdoors - so do store in the house or shed to avoid cleaning the feeder several times before next spring.
To summarize
When to take hummingbird feeders down would be between mid-August up to mid-September at the latest.
Mid-August would see the last remaining hummers disappear out of your yard if they migrate just when they are suppose too - or else it can be late for one or two stragglers who've decide to migrate south into the winter.
Come fall all hummers should be gone so this is the time you can take hummingbird feeders down.
No guarantee for most of you as those in the south or across the Gulf Coast can see hummers remaining in place, without migrating.
To which you'd have to keep your hummingbird feeder up in the yard, while cleaning it out and replenishing it with homemade nectar - just as you did over the course of the summer - when hummers were more readily seen in the yard.
Continue to feed these hummingbirds as usual knowing its not your responsibility for what may seem like you are encouraging these late bloomers not to migrate south.
In time these hummers will know they have to migrate, and if they don't - never take down hummingbird feeders - as its business as normal when filling up feeders.
Other than taking down hummingbird feeders according to what hummers are doing, it won't hurt to prevent nectar spoiling or feeders getting damaged.
Of course to keep feeders up into winter for these remaining hummers will see below freezing conditions, ice up nectar. Feeders can be taken in overnight to avoid this, but must be put back up for the early morning feed.
With that in mind, hummingbird feeders can drop to the ground and break if you allow them to remain in a storm or bad weather, so again feeders can be taken indoors for this reason.
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