The annual migration of hummingbirds is a remarkable natural event, showcasing incredible endurance for such small creatures, leading many observers to wonder if these tiny birds receive assistance from larger species. This curiosity often leads to questions about whether hummingbirds might hitch rides on geese during their long travels.
The Truth About Hummingbird Migration
Hummingbirds do not migrate on the backs of geese. This belief lacks scientific support for several reasons. Hummingbirds and geese differ significantly in size, flight characteristics, and migratory behaviors. A typical Ruby-throated Hummingbird weighs around three grams, comparable to a penny, while geese are many times larger.
Their flight patterns also diverge considerably. Hummingbirds typically fly at speeds of 20-30 miles per hour, often just above treetops or water, and can even hover or fly backward. In contrast, geese often migrate at much higher altitudes, sometimes reaching 20,000 feet or more, which would be unsustainable for hummingbirds. Their migratory routes and timing do not align; geese often winter in regions like the coastal United States, while most hummingbirds travel further south to tropical areas of Mexico and Central America. Hummingbirds are highly capable, independent flyers, undertaking their journeys without assistance.
How Hummingbirds Really Migrate
Hummingbirds undertake their migrations as solitary travelers, covering vast distances alone. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, for example, make a non-stop flight of approximately 500 miles across the Gulf of Mexico, a journey that can take 18 to 22 hours. Other species, like the Rufous Hummingbird, travel even further, with some recorded journeys exceeding 3,500 miles, making it one of the longest migrations in proportion to body size of any creature.
These birds possess physiological adaptations to support such travel. Before migration, they engage in hyperphagia, a period of intense feeding where they can gain 25-40% of their body weight by storing fat as fuel. During flight, their hearts beat up to 1,260 times per minute, and their wings can flap between 15 and 80 times per second, showcasing a high metabolic rate. To conserve energy, especially during cold nights or when food is scarce, hummingbirds can enter a state of torpor, which is similar to a temporary hibernation that significantly slows their metabolism and heart rate.
Hummingbirds navigate using various cues, including the sun’s position, the Earth’s magnetic fields, and visual landmarks, often returning to the same locations each year. Their migrations are triggered by environmental factors such as changes in daylight hours and food availability, with spring migrations starting as early as February and fall migrations beginning in late July or August.
Why the Myth Persists
The myth of hummingbirds riding on geese likely stems from several factors. One element is the human tendency to create simplified narratives for complex natural phenomena. People may struggle to comprehend how such a small bird can undertake extensive, solo migrations across continents and large bodies of water.
Observations of various bird species flying together, perhaps from a distance, could lead to a misinterpretation that smaller birds are hitchhiking on larger ones. The myth may also have been perpetuated through folklore or the belief that larger, stronger birds would assist smaller ones. However, there is no photographic evidence or documented accounts of hummingbirds ever riding on geese.