The most common question we receive is when to put up and take down hummingbird feeders .
You should take your feeder down two weeks after you've last seen a hummingbird using it in the fall. This gives late migrating hummingbirds a chance to fill up for their long trip south. A source of nectar is not enough to induce a hummingbird to risk over-wintering.
In southern Oregon this falls in mid November, but this varies by region. However on the west coast, male Annas hummingbirds naturally over winter as far north as Vancouver Island, Canada. These birds subsist largely on insects and some hummingbird feeders . They utilize a brief hibernation state called torpor for the worst conditions. For this species the reproductive advantage of establishing the best territories is worth it even though a few might not survive the winter. To complicate matters western hummingbirds have been regularly occurring in the S and SE of the US - where there are enough insects and nectar sources to allow them to survive.
Many people in areas with over wintering birds are choosing to keep feeders filled all winter. However keeping feeders all winter does entail greater commitment . In winter, you must reliably keep the feeder filled because having to search for a new food source is a hardship. To prevent freezing both during the day and night you can place the feeder near an always on light bulb, perhaps sheltered in a box for added protection, or bring the feeder in each night to defrost. Another option is to have two hummingbird feeders filled with nectar, with one being kept inside that can replace the outside feeder if it has frozen.
