Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in Arkansas Preparing to Migrate

Every summer in Arkansas, the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds make a lively appearance. These tiny birds spend their days buzzing between feeders and flowers, fueling up on nectar to sustain their rapid wingbeats. As fall approaches, activity around the feeder surges. This isn’t just coincidence, it’s preparation for migration. Soon, these hummingbirds will leave for Central America, a journey that can span up to 500 miles across the Gulf of Mexico in a single flight.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in Arkansas: Wildlife Notes

The individual in this photo perched quietly on a bare branch. With one tiny foot lifted in the air, it almost looked as though it was waving goodbye, a farewell gesture before the long flight south. These moments highlight not only the endurance of such a small bird but also the personal connection many people feel when sharing space with them during the summer months.

Photography Notes: Capturing Fast-Moving Birds

Capturing hummingbirds is a test of patience and precision. They rarely sit still, so catching one perched is a gift. For this shot, I used a Canon EOS R5 Mark II paired with the Canon RF 100–500mm F4.5–7.1 L IS USM lens. My settings were:

• Aperture: ƒ/8
• Shutter Speed: 1/5000 sec
• ISO: 2000

The high shutter speed was essential. Even though the bird was at rest, these hummingbirds often dart off without warning. ISO 2000 gave me the flexibility to maintain sharpness and freeze detail, even in less-than-perfect light. The background came out soft and clean, allowing the bird’s subtle green head, white throat, and the first hints of red on this young male to stand out.

One tip for fellow photographers: wait for those quiet moments. It’s easy to focus only on hummingbirds in flight, but their perched behaviors such as preening, resting, or in this case, lifting a foot as if to wave, tell just as much of a story. Position yourself near a favorite perch, use continuous shooting, and be ready for those split-second gestures that bring personality into your photos.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds remind us how remarkable migration truly is. Watching them prepare for the journey south adds meaning to the fleeting encounters we have with them each summer. For photographers, these transitions are also the best opportunities to capture moments that go beyond simple documentation, creating images that feel personal and memorable.

Note: In a blog post from October 2024, I recorded that the last hummingbirds left my yard on October 2. I will update this post once I see when they depart this summer.