A few ruby-throated hummingbirds had found their way into southeastern Pennsylvania as mid-April approached, and more are approaching the state on their tails.

The mass of the little birds will overspread Pennsylvania soon, and here’s the detailed forecast.

(Compiled by Marcus Schneck, mschneck@pennlive.com)

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A few are already here

The first few hummingbirds of the spring 2018 northward migration have reached Pennsylvania, according to several recent reports to www.hummingbirds.net, including one from the northeastern corner of the state.

The other Pennsylvania reports to date have been confined to the southeastern region, although the leading edge of the bulk of the early migrants has reached the Pennsylvania-Maryland border.

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National Park Service

About 20 miles per day

According to www.hummingbirds.net, which has been tracking the annual northward migration of ruby-throated hummingbirds since 1996, the birds will continue north toward Pennsylvania and other northern destinations at about 20 miles per day.

They’ve been migrating since January and February from wintering grounds in southern Florida, southern Mexico, Central America and the West Indies.

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Mostly males at first

The first hummingbirds arriving in Pennsylvania are likely males, which migrate ahead of the females by about 10 days.

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Running late?

The birds are running a bit late this year. According to the website, which annually maps first-hummer reports from more than 7,000 people across the eastern U.S., the first birds usually arrive back in Pennsylvania around April 9 or 10, although they have been recorded as early as March 20.

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Not only flowers

Some flowers and tree buds are blooming in Pennsylvania as the hummingbirds arrive, but lacking an abundance of blossoms, will find other sources of nectar, such as oozing holes drilled into trees by sapsuckers and hummingbird feeders.

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Get those feeders ready

Those wondering about the proper timing for cleaning and filling their hummingbird feeders for the first time this year have their answer. Now is the time to get those feeders into action, particularly if you hope to attract more hummers this year than last.

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Return engagement

Banding studies indicate that many hummingbirds will return to the same sites they departed late last summer or fall, and even visit the same feeders. If they find ready nectar sources, the birds are likely to re-establish their territories from last year.

Having ample feeders ready when the birds arrive also can be a means to attracting additional hummingbirds to settle in an area, including birds that found their previous territories lacking on their return this year.

If the food then continues to be available in the territories the hummers choose, they usually will remain there throughout the summer, having little incentive to look for new spots to take nectar and insects.

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Missed opportunity?

Feeders that go up in June or July, when a homeowner begins thinking about visitors commonly associated with summer, like hummingbirds, likely will be too late to attract the birds’ attention.

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Red's the color

In addition to getting the feeders in operation now, those wanting to attract more hummingbirds to their backyards this year might want to add red to their landscape at the same time.

That can be accomplished with plants that flower in shades of red early in the year, with artificial red-flowered plants or even with red plastic sheets.

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No red dyes

Red is a very attractive color to hummingbirds and could help to lead them to feeders when they are establishing their territories.

However, hummingbird nectar dyed red, or any color, should be avoided. The chemical dyes can do nothing but harm to the tiny birds with the incredibly high metabolisms.

Feeders made of red plastic or red glass should provide the visual attraction, rather than the sugary liquid inside them.

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Perfect nectar

Humming bird nectar is easy to make at home. A 4-to-1 water to white sugar solution will attract hummingbirds by closely mimicking the nectar they drink from flowers.

Here’s the simple recipe:

Bring 4 parts water, such as 4 cups of water, to a rolling boil

Stir in 1 part sugar, such as 1 cup of sugar, until it dissolves in the water.

Let the mixture cool and then fill your feeders.

Any unused portion can be refrigerated for as long as 2 weeks and used as needed.

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Other foods

In addition to nectar, hummingbirds eat small insects, which they snatch in midair, pluck from spider webs, dig from oozing sap or grab off plants.

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Tiny nests

After both males and females are back on their summer breeding grounds, courtship behavior will begin, followed by mating and then females building their nests on slender branches, usually of deciduous trees, sometimes pine, 10-40 feet above the ground.

Each nest is built directly atop a branch, rather than in a fork. It’s made of dandelion and thistle down held in place by spider silk and pine resin, with an exterior decorated with lichen and moss. It measures 2 inches in diameter and about 1 inch deep

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Tiny eggs

After 6-10 days of nest building, the female will lay 1-3 white eggs into the nest and will then incubate them for 12-14 days. Each egg weighs about a 50th of an ounce.

The nestlings will fledge from the nest when they are 18-22 days old, but the female will continue to feed them for another 3 weeks or so.

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Short lives

Most of the young hummingbirds will not survive their first year, but for those that do the average lifespan will be about 3 years.

The oldest known ruby-throated hummingbird lived a bit longer than 9 years.

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More about hummingbirds

Hummingbirds back in Pennsylvania for breeding season; you can make your yard bird-friendly

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