As we begin our season of longer nights and cooler days, darker mornings and earlier evenings, it might be hard to conjure images of our Ruby-throated Hummingbirds with wings warmed by a tropical sun, flitting from flower to flower in a lush landscape.

But whether we can imagine it or not, by now nearly all of our hummingbirds (except for the very few that stick around the coastal southeast of the US) are settling in to their seasonal homes somewhere in Central America, from the southwest coasts of Mexico, east across the Yucatan Peninsula, all the way down to Panama. Now that they are out of sight, though not necessarily out of mind, how are the Ruby-throats spending their warm winter days? 

In many ways, their habits in their wintering grounds are the same as they are in our own backyards. Unlike many birds that form sociable flocks in the non-breeding season, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds remain solitary their whole lives. In fact, all hummingbird species are unsocial. The only time hummingbirds are known to congregate in any way is when some select species (though not Ruby-throats) form a lek, which is a group courtship display where males gather in the same area to sing for potential mates. So just as our birds are solo – or ensure they are solo by fighting off rivals! – at our feeders, they are also on their own in the tropics.

They also feast on the same food sources – nectar and small insects – as they do here, albeit much different varieties of both than we have in the Piedmont! But unlike their summers when they enjoy being the only hummingbird species, in the winter they compete with dozens of nonmigratory species as well as other temporary visitors. Panama alone boasts 59 species of hummingbird. They also contend with many of the same predators, from reptiles to insects (did you know praying mantids can eat hummingbirds?!) and spiders to birds of prey, but of species a little less familiar to us in North Carolina. We are not likely to see many iguanas stalking our backyards!

In the summer, we find Ruby-throats in our parks and gardens and yards, as well as open woodlands, the edges of forests, stream borders, and meadows. In the winter, their habitat includes many similar open places including scrub, dry forests, and hedgerows, but also unique places like citrus groves and coffee farms. With almost four million acres of land throughout the Ruby-throat’s winter territory devoted to coffee cultivation, coffee farming practices have significant impacts on bird habitats. In particular, market pressures to clear cut native trees and plant higher-yield sun-growing coffee leads to deforestation and reduced biodiversity, imperiling both migratory birds and year-round species.

The best alternative to sun-grown coffee is shade-grown coffee, meaning the coffee trees grow under the canopy of native trees and among native plants. The Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center has been a longtime champion of shade-grown coffee because of the many ecological benefits.

Their work finds: “[S]hade coffee trees provide extensive habitat, oftentimes in regions wracked by forest destruction and other landscape transformations harmful to natural ecosystems. The forest-like conditions of these systems allow for a wealth of ecological dynamics to occur, including increased bird habitat, soil protection/erosion control, carbon sequestration, natural pest control and improved pollination, making such systems vital for conservation initiatives.”

Research suggest that bird-friendly shade coffee farms can attract a greater density of migratory birds than even primary forest and the birds there show better body conditions than birds in other habitats, which is “likely a result of the availability of more small-fruited plants useful to birds, as well as flowers that attract insects, offering birds a buffet of resources.” 

In order to encourage shade-grown coffee, the Smithsonian created the Bird Friendly coffee program which certifies coffee producers meeting rigorous habitat and conservation standards, and helps consumers identify bird-friendly coffee with the Bird Friendly logo. For bird enthusiasts who also love their coffee it’s a win-win because the Smithsonian coffee experts also say “shade-grown coffees taste better, because the beans ripen slower than coffee grown in the full sun, resulting in a richer, more complex flavor.” To buy Bird Friendly coffee, look for the logo, or visit the Smithsonian’s website where you can find local retailers (including some in the Triangle!) as well as online purveyors. 

A warm cup of coffee and a caffeine boost might be the perfect accompaniment for the cooler, darker winter days to come. And if we choose Bird Friendly coffee, we can enjoy it knowing we are helping our Ruby-throated Hummingbirds thrive in their tropical winter habitat!

Blog post written by contributor, Brittany Richards.