Autumn hummingbird feeding can pay dividends

To feed, or not to feed? That is the question that troubles many people who feed hummingbirds as autumn approaches. The Missouri Department of Conservation says you can keep feeders out until winter without fear of hurting the tiny birds. Furthermore, late feeding offers one of the best chances of seeing hummingbird species seldom seen in the Show-Me State.
The only hummingbird species commonly seen in Missouri is the ruby-throated, Archilochus colubris. They begin arriving in the Show-Me State in April and linger until late September or early October, when they fly south to their winter homes. Some migrate along the Gulf Coast of Texas or Louisiana, while others fly (nonstop!) across the Gulf of Mexico to Central America.
One common misconception is that late feeding induces hummingbirds...
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