For many of us in the US, Canada, and Northern Mexico, the skies will soon be filled with the jewel bright fluttering of tiny wings. Hummingbird fall migration will soon be upon us. What can you do to help bid farewell to these gorgeous birds? Read on!

• Attend the XHX- The XHX is the Xtreme Hummingbird Xtravaganza hosted annually by the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory. The family-friendly 2022 event will take place on September 17 and 24, in Lake Jackson, Texas. There will be a lot of activities such as speakers, educational booths, and the main event: watching migrating hummingbirds up close. Visit the Gulf Coast Bird Observatory website for more information.
• Feed the birds!- I have said it before many times, and I will say it again: Feed those hummingbirds! One myth that has stood the test of time is that if you continue to feed hummingbirds, they will either not migrate or they will migrate late. This has been proven to not only be untrue, but quite unsafe for the birds. Hummingbirds expend a lot of energy each day, and this is especially true during migration. They have a long way to travel and require food to maintain that energy. Your full feeder, far from keeping them from their travels, will help them along their way. A likely reason for this myth is that hummingbird enthusiasts would notice "stragglers" at their feeders some time after the others had migrated. These "stragglers" are probably birds that spent their summer in another region and are heading to their winter home.
•  Post your sightings- Hummingbird-guide.com has a wealth of hummingbird information. You can find out pretty much anything you want to know about popular hummingbird species in the US. You can also view spring and fall hummingbird migration maps for this year and previous years, and fill out their online form to post your own sightings! One of their newer features is their downloadable hummingbird tracker app.
• Read up on hummingbird facts- As it turns out, we know a thing or two about hummingbirds as well! Check out our past articles about fall migration, including an overview of migration patterns for several US hummingbird species and ways to get involved, or just hummingbirds in general, which includes an infographic about everything from hummingbird anatomy to random hummingbird trivia.

So, while we may have to bid adieu to some of our favorite summer visitors while we get cozy for the fall and winter months, we will see them again soon. Have those feeders ready!