MAINE SUNDAY TELEGRAM • August 7, 2022
The quick answer is: “possibly over probably.” Hummingbirds do have fairly high “site fidelity” but we should keep in mind that these small birds with long migrations also have fairly high mortality rates. A study at Powdermill Nature Reserve in western Pennsylvania found that mean annual survivorship was 31.2% in males and 42.3% in females. The oldest known male ruby-throated hummingbirds are 8 years old, and females 9, so it is definitely possible that those same birds are returning to your yard each year. ~ Maine Audubon Staff Naturalist Doug Hitchcox