33 Hummingbirds Receive Care After Cold Snap

In early 2024, the Lower Mainland experienced a drastic cold snap, triggering an influx of calls  and emails to our Support Centre. Reports about tiny, vulnerable hummingbirds affected by the  Arctic outflow poured in. Over the span of four days, the Support Centre team received 83 reports  about hummingbirds in distress! 

Many of these hummingbirds had entered torpor, a hibernation-like state that helps them  conserve energy during cold conditions. Our dedicated team of staff and volunteers worked  tirelessly to educate concerned community members about this natural behaviour, helping to prevent unnecessary intervention.  

In the end, 33 hummingbirds required admission to the Wildlife Hospital because of tongue  injuries caused by frozen feeders and exposed metal, as well as low blood sugar and hypothermia.  

Medical staff worked hard to help as many of these little flying gems as possible recover and  return to the wild. Tongue injuries are often too severe for survival, making prevention critical.  

You can help prevent injuries and the spread of disease by keeping your feeders clean and thawed on cold days.

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