Do hummingbirds hitchhike on geese for the winter and to where?

Answer 1

This persistent bit of folklore - usually citing geese as the carrier - must date from an earlier period, before much at all was known about hummingbird migration. There is not a shred of evidence to support this whimsical concept. Most Ruby-throated Hummingbirds winter between southern Mexico and northern Panama. Since hummingbirds lead solitary lives and neither live nor migrate in flocks, an individual bird may spend the winter anywhere in this range where the habitat is favorable, but probably returns to the same location each winter. Ruby-throats begin moving north as early as January, and by the end of February they are at the northern coast of Yucatan, gorging on insects and Spiders to add a thick layer of fat in preparation for flying to the U.S. Some will skirt the Gulf of Mexico and follow the Texas coast north, while most apparently cross the Gulf, typically leaving at dusk for a nonstop flight of up to 500 miles, which takes 18-22 hours depending on the weather. Although hummingbirds may fly over water in company of mixed flocks of other bird species, they do not "hitchhike" on other birds. Some hummingbirds land on offshore oil rigs or fishing boats to rest. Moreover, hummingbirds are fully capable of traveling astounding distances on their own wings; it is generally accepted by scientists that most Ruby-throats fly non-stop across the Gulf of Mexico in the spring, and probably in both directions. found at: http://www.hummingbirds.net/migration.html

Answer 2

Hummingbirds migrate by themselves, under their own power & as solitary migrants, not in flocks. They do not ride on duck's backs. Hummers are fully capable of traveling astounding distances on their own wings; it is generally accepted by scientists that most Ruby-throats fly non-stop across the Gulf of Mexico in the spring, and probably in both directions.

Answer 3

No, hummingbirds do not migrate on the backs of geese. That is one of many myths about hummingbirds. Unlike geese, hummingbirds fly very low during migration. They do have a very interesting migration. For instance, hummingbirds fly alone and not in flocks during migration. Some species have an extremely long migration. The Rufous hummingbirds has the longest trip from as far north as Alaska to Mexico. That is a 3,000 mile journey.The Ruby-throated flies non-stop for 300 miles across the Gulf of Mexico. It is no wonder that such a myth might exist. The true story of the hummingbird migration seems almost unbelievable.

Answer 4

No, this is a well-known myth.

Hummingbirds do not ride the backs of any other bird.

Hummingbirds actually migrate before geese do, so there are no geese for them to hitch a ride on. Geese can survive for longer in colder temperatures, whereas hummingbirds can't, so they migrate at different times, sometimes months apart.

During migrations, there are more hummingbirds in one flock than there are geese in a flock. That means that one goose would have to carry about eight to ten hummingbirds. This will make the goose too heavy and tired to fly.

Geese are also known to fly around in circles and "crash land" in water when they can feel fleas on their backs while flying. Imagine how they'd react to a hummingbird on their back.

There is also nothing for the hummingbird to eat during flight. Geese will stop momentarily to pick up a small fish or vegetation or they will catch insects in their beaks mid-flight. Geese do not pass over or stop by any food sources for hummingbirds (nectar) during their migration, so hummingbirds would starve to death.

Hummingbirds will deliberately overeat just before the migration season so they have plenty of calories to burn. During the migration itself they land momentarily on course (in fact, they swarm like locusts), overeat more, then continue the migration.

Answer 5

No they fo not.

Answer 6

No

Answer 7

yes

Answer 8

no