Tiny birds, long trip

Hummingbirds are in Baton Rouge, gorging on nectar and insects before their flight south. Be a good host and feed them.

Louisiana’s small spring visitors are arriving with a very big appetite.

Hummingbirds are flitting into Baton Rouge, feasting on insects for protein and nectar for quick energy as they prepare for a marathon migration to Mexico and other countries farther south. Before taking flight, they can double their body weight.

They’ll need every bit of that fuel. The 500-mile journey across the Gulf of Mexico takes 12 to 14 hours without a place to stop and rest. They will start their migration mid-Month, peaking in mid-October.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds you’re most likely to spot are about 3 inches long, weigh roughly as much as a penny and sport brilliant emerald-green backs and heads. They are tiny, tireless and thoroughly delightful.

You can help them prepare by putting out a feeder and keeping the nectar fresh. Make hummingbird food with one part sugar and four parts water, gently boiled on the stovetop. Let it cool completely before filling the feeder.

Then sit back and enjoy the show.