Each summer, Rufous hummingbirds arrive in Alaska after traveling thousands of miles, one of the longest migrations of any bird their size. These tiny birds weigh less than a nickel, yet they complete an extraordinary journey between Alaska and Mexico each year. But their numbers are declining. Over the past 30 years, Rufous hummingbird populations have dropped by an estimated 65%, and scientists are still working to understand why.

The Alaska HumTrack Project at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is launching the first-ever Rufous hummingbird migration tracking research conducted in Alaska. In partnership with the Banding Coalition of America and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, AWCC will safely band and fit 50 Rufous hummingbirds with tiny digital trackers, each no larger than a grain of rice, to better understand their migration routes and the factors behind a 65% population decline over the past 30 years. Each bird’s DNA will also be added to a long-term database to track population trends over time. With a project cost of approximately $15,000, we’re inviting 50 donors from all 50 states to sponsor one bird ($300) and help fund the research needed to protect this extraordinary species.

To power this research, we’re rallying support around a simple idea:
50 donors from
50 states help track
50 hummingbirds.

Each donor sponsors the journey of one tagged hummingbird, helping unlock the story of its migration and contributing to research that could help protect the species.

You can be part of this groundbreaking research. Give to the Alaska HumTrack Project HERE

Your support at any amount is helping unlock answers about one of nature’s most extraordinary migrations, and we’re grateful to have you on this journey with us.

P.S. If you’re in Alaska this summer, we’d love for you to see the project in action. Join us at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center on June 13 for Summer Hummingbird Days, when researchers will be placing trackers on the birds and sharing more about the science behind this groundbreaking work. And if you won’t be in Alaska, don’t worry, we have you covered! Join us on our Facebook page to watch live!