How Late Should You Leave Out Your Hummingbird Feeder in Maine?

I'm a bit of a hummingbird addict...

If there is such a thing... We maintain feeders all summer long and enjoy spending time on the deck watching them up close, as they fly way too close to our chairs, haha. I've always been a little jealous of the people who've had hummingbirds land on them. On the other hand, I'm a big fraidy-cat, so I'd probably initially freak out.

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Every year, right around this time, my wife and I begin debating when is the right time to pull our feeders. We've certainly seen a drastic reduction in the amount of hummers showing up as the temps have started to dip. I decided to see what the considered opinion was, and I was actually quite surprised.

You're probably not leaving your feeder out nearly long enough.

My wife and I always kind of worked under the idea that when they started showing up less, it was time to take things down. I went by the logic that if I were to keep feeding them, they might not leave soon enough. But it turns out, I'm kind of an idiot. While most of us are pulling our feeders down right now, we should actually be waiting.

According to the Maine Audubon Society, we should be leaving hummingbird feeders out until pretty much the end of October, even into the first week of November. While it seems odd to us, there are apparently a lot of stragglers that are still around longer than we think. There've been sightings in Southern Maine as late as the third week of November. That's crazy!

For real, it won't impede their migration.

The MAS says on their website that, if anything, it'll inspire them to get moving. If they're still hanging out, they're probably still looking for food. Obviously, food is a lot harder to come by in the form of flowers, etc. Leaving your feeder up gives them the chance to gather up the energy they need to hit the road.

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Yes, you're going to spend a few more buck on white sugar (the ratio is 1 part sugar, 4 parts water, btw) but who cares? You're doing them a favor. Plus, how cool would it be to see a late-season hummer in your yard? That would be awesome. So stay the course, and leave those feeders up another month. Don't be scared!