Here’s a photo of one of my favorites, a female Ruby-throated Hummingbird. I got in a few lucky of shots of her checking out the sunflowers at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh, NC a couple weeks ago.
These tiny birds need to eat all day long just to survive. In addition to nectar from flowers and your sugar water feeder, these birds eat small insects, beetles, ants, aphids, gnats, mosquitoes, and wasps.

With autumn migration coming soon, you might be asking “When do I need to take my feeder down?”
My recommendation is to put away your feeders about two weeks after you no longer see them visiting your yard.
This will allow them to store valuable fat resources for their long migration ahead.

By the way, did you know that Ruby throated Hummingbirds may still be found here in North Carolina into mid October?
New studies have shown that their migration patterns have shifted in recent years so that now a few of them even spend the winter along our coast!
If you live in the far eastern parts of the state, make sure that you keep your feeders filled. Once the weather gets really cold, these tiny feathered gems will definitely appreciate the ‘year round food opportunities.

Photos by @sally_siko of @birdwatching_nc on the fabulous full frame SLR, the @canonusa
#5Ds