Hummingbird season is one of those times of the year that pretty much every bird watching enthusiast looks forward to. These birds have a lot of energy and sometimes a little bit of sass, so watching them in their element is a pleasure to behold.
Of course, for people that aren’t veterans in the life and times of the hummingbird, there can be a lot of questions.
For instance, you may be wondering when is the right time to put up your hummingbird feeders, and when should they be taken down. You may be wondering if it’s okay to keep them hanging up in your yard even during the winter months, and if it’s even a good idea.
Thankfully, we have all of the answers that you need in this article. We’ll explain when hummingbird season is, and what you need to do to get these lively birds to show up in your yard for the whole season.

In reality, you may be surprised to know that hummingbirds make their entrance much sooner than we think that they will. Ultimately it depends on the average temperature in the year, as this will determine when they arrive at certain elevations and latitudes.
Basically, there’s no way to say precisely when the birds will appear in a given year – we can simply make an estimate based on previous behaviors. Since we don’t have a solid answer, it’s best that we give you a hint.
If you start seeing wildflowers budding by the bottoms of the rivers, that’s when you need to put the feeders out into your garden. When the daffodils begin to bloom, that’s when you have to hang the hummingbird feeders up. If the flowering cherries have first started to bloom, put out your feeder.
If you do want a definitive time, then late January/Early February is a good idea to start hanging your feeders.
Essentially, you just need to make sure that you are paying attention to what the natural world around you is doing in order to gauge when hummingbird season starts and ends.
Knowing What, How And When To Feed Hummingbirds
The best thing to do is to feed the hummingbirds nectar – essentially, a kind of sugar water. It’s a lot of fun to do this. Ideally, you will want to make a concoction that’s got a sugar to water ratio of 1 to 4. This will resemble the natural nectar made by flowers, which catches the attention of hummingbirds.
There are hummingbird nectar recipes online if you’re a little bit stuck.
You are going to need to make sure that the feeders are always clean as this will keep them safe so they can still feed the hummingbirds.
It’s best to just put only the food that the birds are likely to eat into the feeder – put enough in there to feed them entirely for 3-5 days. Don’t put too much in there as it will be harder for you to clean. Every time you refill the feeder, clean it out and then put the nectar back in.
Keep an eye on the feeder too – if you notice that the nectar is starting to look cloudy then it’s a good sign that the nectar needs to be replaced. Also replace the nectar if mold has started to grow on it.
It’s really worthwhile to ensure that you have the correct bird feeder too. The More Birds feeders are particularly useful, especially the Ruby model which is best for hummingbirds. It comes with a number of different feeding ports and you can clean it without too much trouble – there are other options available too, but this is just one recommendation.
Of course, nectar isn’t the only thing that you can feed a hummingbird. These birds also eat other things such as spiders or flying insects.
For this reason, you don’t need to panic if you forget to top up the feeders some day or you are away from home. They will still manage to survive since they will just find an alternative food source. Relax!
Knowing When To Put Up The Feeders

So when do you need to put up the hummingbird feeders? Well, one good time to put them up is during the hummingbird migration season, since they will enjoy the food as they are traveling to their new location. Specifically, during the spring migration.
In most cases, hummingbirds will move south to warmer climates during the winter months and then they come back in the early spring months.
At this point it’s still pretty chilly in the nights, and sometimes they even come across incredibly cold or snowy temperatures. They won’t be around many flowers and it’s a lot harder to find insect food sources. They still migrate during this point because it’s part of their natural instincts.
As you can see, having some food to eat is definitely going to be needed for the birds that have limited food sources.
So make sure that you put your feeders out earlier than you think that you need to, even if they’re just stopping on their way to their final location. They should already be set out early on in the spring. It’s also worth noting that not all hummingbirds are going to start migrating at exactly the same time.
It can depend on the angle of the sun in the place that they resided during the winter, as it can influence their hormones. When the angle changes, it sets off a hormonal response to tell them that it’s time to start migrating.
Not only that, but they can also be held up by the kinds of weather that they come across on their way to their last destination.
In most cases, the male hummingbirds will migrate much earlier in the year than their female counterparts – they’ll usually get to the breeding grounds of choice roughly one or two weeks earlier.
When they have gotten to the breeding grounds they will then get themselves set up and will try to defend their designated territories where the food sources are. This could be natural objects such as flowers containing nectar, though sometimes it can actually be the feeders that you put up in your yard.
When all of this has occurred, the females then arrive at the destination and look for the males. They will then mate and try to find nesting territories that they can use to raise their young. They will defend against the other hummingbirds in the area much like the males. Of course, the hummingbirds stay away from building the nest and rearing the young little chicks. Way to go, dad!
In a couple of weeks time the baby hummingbirds are then ready to take flight and try out their new wings. You will usually notice at this point that there are even more birds trying to get a look in on your bird feeders. The vast majority of the hummingbirds that are likely to be feeding are the new babies in the area, especially during the later parts of the summer and the early fall.
So, what do you need to know based on this? Basically, think about when you think the hummingbirds will arrive and then put your feeder up one week before this. This means that you’re all set to become a hummingbird territory when migration season starts.
Knowing When To Take Them Down
All good things come to an end, and that goes for hummingbird season too. But when are the hummingbirds likely to depart?
If you live in a Western territory then for the most part the males will be done with their job by the time that the early summer rolls around.
For that reason, most male hummingbirds will leave your yard and start flying up to the mountains by the early part of July. This is where the flowers are blooming higher up, and they will eventually end up in southern Mexico where they will stay throughout the winter to keep warm. All the hummingbirds are now hanging out in Mexico by the winter. What a bummer for those of us not in Mexico!
With that being said, that doesn’t mean that your bird feeders are redundant at this point. You will still have many of the young birds still in your yard as they will stay around the nesting area as they grow up. You will see that the babies will still remain around your feeders right into the fall months.
When the weather changes, the migrants may also come and pay you a visit for a while before they all head south for warmth once more.
It’s worth noting that keeping your hummingbird feeders up is not going to be the reason that the birds end up migrating.
Actually, the feeders are a good way to give the birds a little bit of energy before the start migrating south for the winter. The hormones in their body are what is going to compel them to start migrating for the winter.
So if you’re wondering when it’s time to stop feeding the hummingbirds, the ultimate answer is that really, you don’t have to. If you notice hummingbirds coming to the feeder then you should keep feeding them until they stop coming to your feeder, which will eventually happen during the winter.
An adult male hummingbird will usually leave the location during the summer, and will leave a long time before the females and their young start to head south. You will need to keep on feeding the hummingbirds until there aren’t any more that need to be fed.
You should try to take the feeder down roughly two weeks after you see the final hummingbird for the year. This means that if there are any that you haven’t noticed, they will still have food before it’s time for migration.
Should You Feed Hummingbirds In The Winter?

If you live in the West Coast in locations such as Vancouver, Canada or any locations from there to Baja and even Arizona, you may sometimes encounter a bird known as the Anna’s Hummingbird. This bird stays in these locations – it’s their home!
If you live in any of these locations then you don’t actually need to take down your feeders, since there will always be hummingbirds that need to have food. In most cases this particular kind of hummingbird will start nesting during late December up until February.
If you venture to the Southwestern deserts, you can then find the Costa hummingbird during the winter too. Basically, in warmer locations such as Florida and Texas, there are a number of kinds of hummingbirds that will remain even during the winter. For this reason, it’s absolutely worthwhile to keep your bird feeder stocked up to get a glimpse of these wonderful birds.
You may also wonder whether a hummingbird is just having a rest on their way to their final destination or if it’s going to stay around for the whole winter. Well, it’s worth noting that hummingbird migration generally continues up until November.
If you are noticing hummingbirds even in December, January and February then it’s a good sign that they are probably going to stay in the area for a while. Sometimes they may even remain there through March and April, which is a joy for birders.
Now the biggest risk during the winter is that the cold may cause the bird feeder to freeze over.
In order to stop this from happening, it may be necessary to put the feeder near something like a porch light or something similar since it will emit heat. Of course, this may not always be an option, in which case it may be a good idea to bring the feeder indoors when it has turned dark for the night.
Make sure that you bring it into your home quite late in the night since hummingbirds can sometimes feed into the hours after dusk too.
When the morning rolls around, put it back out at dawn as this will allow the early risers to get some food into their bodies when it’s cold outside and they are in need of some extra calories. There are also methods out there to stop bird feeders from freezing during the winter to help you out.
Hummingbird Season In Different States
It’s important to note that the hummingbird season is going to differ depending on your state. There’s plenty of information online to show when hummingbirds are usually present in any given state in the US. Knowing this information can help you to know when to set up your feeder and when to take it down each year, rather than just taking a wild guess.
It’s important to remember that while most of the time birds will migrate during the winter, some don’t, so if we’ve mentioned the birds during the winter then it’s important to note that there’s a chance they may still hang out during the winter in your area. While it is rare, there are states that have had hummingbirds appear even in the winter over a number of years.
In most cases this isn’t a regular occurrence and it generally isn’t something that you are going to be expecting. Of course, you aren’t going to see that specific bird unless there’s some fresh nectar in the feeder. Here’s what you need to know about hummingbird season in each state.
- Alabama Start – Early March / End – December
- Alaska – Start – Early April / End – September (Can be all year in SE)
- Arizona – Year Long
- Arkansas Start – Mid March / End – December
- California – Year long
- Colorado – Start – Early April / End – November
- Connecticut – Start – Early April / End – November
- Delaware – Start – Early April / End – November
- Florida – Year Long
- Georgia – Year Long
- Idaho – Start – Late March / End – November
- Illinois – Start – Early April / End – December
- Indiana – Start – Early April / End – December
- Iowa – Start – Mid April / End – December
- Kansas – Start – Early April / End – December
- Kentucky – Start – Mid March / End – December
- Louisiana – Year Long
- Maine – Start – Mid April / End – November
- Maryland – Start – Early April / End – December
- Massachusetts – Start – Early April / End – December
- Michigan – Start – Early April / End – November
- Minnesota – Start – Mid April / End – November
- Mississippi – Year Long
- Missouri – Start – Early March / End – January
- Montana – Start – Early April / End – November
- Nebraska – Start – Mid April / End – December
- Nevada – Start – Early March / End – December
- New Hampshire – Start – Early April / End – November
- New Jersey – Start – Mid March / End – December
- New Mexico – Start – Late February / End – December
- New York – Start – Late March / End – December
- North Carolina – Year Long
- North Dakota – Start – Late April / End – November
- Ohio – Start – Late March / End – November
- Oklahoma – Start – Late March / End – November
- Oregon – Year Long
- Pennsylvania – Start – Late March / End – December
- Rhode Island – Start – Early April / End – November
- South Carolina – Start – Early March/ End – December
- South Dakota – Start – Late April / End – November
- Tennessee – Start – Late March / End – December
- Texas – Year Long
- Utah – Start – Mid March / End – November
- Vermont – Start – Early April / End – November
- Virginia – Start – Early March / End – December
- Washington – Start – Late March / End – November
- West Virginia – Start – Mid March / End – December
- Wisconsin – Start – Early April / End – November
- Wyoming – Start – Late April / End – October
So that’s a quick summary. To make it a little easier for you, here’s an individual breakdown of each state to let you know what you need to expect for hummingbird season.

Alabama
In Alabama, you will usually find that a kind of hummingbird known as the Ruby throated hummingbird will start making its way to your yard roughly in the second week of March. They will then leave in early November.
You may occasionally see some kinds of hummingbirds staying around for a little bit of the winter such as the rufous hummingbirds, ruby throated hummingbirds and the black chinned hummingbirds.
As such, the best time to start hanging out your bird feeders is generally in the first week of march. To be safe, it’s best to then take the feeder down in the middle of November, though make sure that you haven’t seen any hummingbirds in the past two weeks before you do this.
Alaska
Brace yourself if it’s coming up to April, because you are about to encounter the wonderful Rufous hummingbird. These will appear in south central and southeast Alaska during the very beginning of April. They will then start leaving towards the tail end of August.
You may also see Anna’s hummingbirds during late August through to late April in the same parts of Alaska. You won’t see them quite as often during the summer months, however.
You may also see Costa’s hummingbird during the fall every now and again, but this isn’t a regular occurrence in Alaska. The best thing to do is to ensure that your feeders remain hanging up in your yard throughout the entire year if you want to keep your feathered friends around. There are plenty of opportunities to see a wide variety of hummingbirds in Alaska.
Arizona
It’s worth doing a little bit of research if you live in Arizona, since the kind of hummingbirds present in your area can vary depending on the specific county. There are some kinds that you may only see in the southern counties.
You can expect to see Rivoli’s hummingbirds throughout the whole year if you live in Arizona. If you’re in the southern counties, then you may see Plain capped Starthroats during the first week of July, and then they will leave around the middle of September.
Throughout the whole year, Blue Throated Mountain Gems are present in the South of Arizona. Other birds you may find throughout the year include Costa’s Hummingbirds, Broad Billed Hummingbirds and Anna’s Hummingbirds. You can find Lucifer Hummingbirds in South Arizona in the final week of March, and they’ll stick around until early October.
You can see Black chinned hummingbirds in Arizona too, and these will arrive in the first week of March and will then leave during the last week of October. The Broad Tailed Hummingbird will make an appearance in the very first week of March and they will then leave in the first week of November.
You will also notice rufous hummingbirds migrating through the area during the spring – they’ll appear in the middle of February up until the middle of May. They will then migrate during the fall too during the first week of July ip until the first week of November,
You can find Calliope Hummingbirds migrating during spring – this will be from the final week of March up until the middle of may. During the fall they will also migrate from the middle of July up until the first week of October.
In Mid July through to the first week of September- Berylline Hummingbirds will be present in Southern Arizona.
You can find Violet Crowned Hummingbirds from the second week of January until the middle of November in Southern Arizona.
White Eared Hummingbirds will appear in Southeast Arizona from the 2nd week of May and they will then leave during the start of September.
If you learn one thing from all of this information, it’s that you need to ensure that your bird feeder is fully stocked throughout the whole year to accommodate for the wide variety of birds!
Arkansas
You will find it fairly easy to start spotting the ruby throated hummingbird in Arkansas during the end of March through to the middle of November. In fact, you can even see certain rare hummingbirds during the winter in Arkansas, but they don’t tend to show up on a regular basis.
The best thing to do is set up the feeders in the middle of March. You should then take them down during December. As usual, don’t take down the feeders until you’ve gone two weeks without seeing any sign of hummingbird activity by the feeder.
California
You can find black chinned hummingbirds in Cali during the very last week of March up until the final week of December. You can also see Anna’s hummingbirds throughout the entire year in California.
Likewise, another regular resident in California that stays throughout the entire year is the Costa’s hummingbird – in specific you will find these birds in the deserts in Southern California.
You can see more varieties of hummingbirds throughout the year too since they will fly through california while migrating.
In specific, you can find rufous hummingbirds during the spring – usually, they will stick around from the middle of February up until the tail end of May. Then the fall migration will start straight away, and the birds will be migrating from the middle of June up until the last week of September.
In addition to this, you can also find the Allen’s hummingbird in Southern California by the coast. In the middle and North of California, it’s possible to find these same birds in the middle of January and they will leave at the end of August, but they are residential to the Southern Coast if you want to be able to see them more consistently.
Furthermore, the Calliope Hummingbird will hang out in California in the period from the beginning of April up until the middle of August.
Ultimately, the main thing that you need to know is that it’s a good idea to keep your hummingbird feeders up throughout the whole year if you live in California, since there are always birds in need of feeding.

Colorado
You can find the black chinned hummingbird in the middle of April up until the beginning of October in Colorado. You can also find Broad tailed hummingbirds around the same time in the same location, generally sticking around from the 2nd week of April up until the middle of October.
During the fall migration period of late June up until September, you can also find the rufous hummingbird. The Calliope hummingbird will also make their way through Colorado during the 1st week of July up until the third week of September.
The best thing to do is to set up the feeders as soon as April begins if you live in Colorado. Then, make sure that you bring them down ahead of the next year as long as there hasn’t been any hummingbird activity in the area for 2 weeks.
Connecticut
The ruby throated hummingbird will appear in Connecticut from the middle of April up until the middle of October, so make sure that you keep your eyes peeled from them! While uncommon, some people have also said that they have seen the rufous hummingbird during the fall and the winter in the area too, so it’s a good idea to ensure that they have some food waiting for them.
Ideally, you should be filling those feeders and hanging them in your yard in the beginning of April if you are in Connecticut. If by the middle of November you have not seen a hummingbird in 2 weeks, you can then take the feeder down.
Delaware
Be on the lookout for the ruby throated hummingbird during the hummingbird season in Delaware – this will be from the very first week of April up until the middle of October.
As such, ensure that your feeder is stocked and ready to go by the first of April if you are in Delaware, and you can take it down in November if no hummingbird activity has been seen in 2 weeks.
Florida
Again, you can find the ruby throated hummingbird during the entire year if you are living in Florida. You will see them the most often during the migration periods in the Spring and the Fall.
You will find the most number of ruby throated hummingbirds during the end of March up until the middle of May, and there will then be another peak during the beginning of June up until the beginning of November.
A lot of people in Florida have also seen other species of hummingbirds throughout the year, such as the rufous hummingbird and the black chinned hummingbird.
Since the birds are likely to be in the area throughout the whole year, it’s imperative that you keep your hummingbird feeder hung and stocked throughout the whole year, including the winter period.
Georgia
Georgia is yet another area in which the ruby throated hummingbird is common. You will find them from the second week of March up until the beginning of November.
You can find the ruby throated hummingbird in addition to the rufous hummingbird during the winter too, though it is somewhat rare. Occasionally in a particularly rare circumstance, it’s also possible to find calliope and black chinned hummingbirds in the winter too if you are in Georgia.
The best advice is that you should be keeping the feeders up throughout the entire year if you live in Georgia. If no hummingbirds have been spotted for 3 weeks straight by the time that the middle of December rolls around, it is at this point that you can bring the feeders back inside until March comes back around.
Hummingbirds don’t tend to move much during the winter so you can be fairly certain that if you haven’t seen any by that point then you probably won’t see them again until the next migration.
Hawaii
Unfortunately, you aren’t going to be seeing any hummingbirds in Hawaii – they don’t really go there, with that being said, you can find plenty of other exotic and colorful birds in the area.
For instance, there are honeycreepers in the area. They do eat nectar but they will only eat the flowers that are native to the area, so your nectar feeder isn’t going to be appealing to them. It’s a real shame too since this is an endangered species.
Idaho
It’s possible to find the black chinned hummingbird in Idaho from the beginning of April until the middle of October.
In addition to this, you can occasionally find the Anna’s hummingbird in the area, but they aren’t commonplace. There are certain birds that will stay in Idaho throughout the whole year but for the most part many of your feathered visitors are going to appear during the winter. For the most part, you will find many of these birds appearing between September and the beginning of March.
You can find the broad tailed hummingbird from late April to the middle of September. Likewise, the rufous hummingbird may appear from the middle of April until the beginning of October.
The rufous hummingbird will often come to Idaho from the middle of April and will stay around until the beginning of October. You can find the Calliope hummingbird from the first week of April up until the end of September.
If you live in Idaho, you should be putting the feeders out towards the end of March, and then bring them down by the beginning of November if you haven’t seen the hummingbirds for 2 weeks straight.
Illinois
Look out for the ruby throated hummingbird in Illinois from the middle of April up until the end of October. This is the main kind of hummingbird that you will see. As such, make sure that your feeders are up and ready by the beginning of April, and you can then take them down in December after having seen no hummingbird activity in around 2 weeks.
Indiana
The ruby throated hummingbird will appear in Indiana from the beginning of April and will then migrate during the month of October, most of them having left by the time October is over.
The best thing to do is to put the feeders up at the end of March, and then take them down in December if there hasn’t been any hummingbird activity for 2 weeks.
Iowa
You will see the ruby throated hummingbird in Iowa from late April up until the end of October. For this reason, make sure that your hummingbird feeders are stocked and ready to go from the middle of April if you are in Iowa. You can then take them down in late November if no hummingbirds have been seen for 2 weeks.
Kansas
Over in Kansas you can see the ruby throated hummingbird from the middle of April up until the end of October.
On occasion you may also see the rufous hummingbird as it is migrating from July up until September, though this is quite a rare sight.
It’s best to put up the feeders in the beginning of April and then take them down in November if no hummingbirds have been spotted for two weeks.
Kentucky
The ruby throated hummingbird will appear in Kentucky usually from the end of March and will stick around until November is over. You may occasionally see the rufous hummingbird during the winter in Kentucky.
Make sure that your feeders are ready by the middle of March for the hummingbirds to have plenty to eat. You can then take them down by the middle of December if no hummingbirds have been seen for two weeks.

Louisiana
You’ll see most ruby throated hummingbirds in Louisiana by the beginning of March, and they’ll usually be gone by November. Sometimes though these birds will stick around even during the winter months.
Likewise, you will also see the black chinned hummingbird throughout the entire winter if you live in Louisiana, they’ll appear in September and stay until April.
You will find broad tailed hummingbirds in Louisiana during the winter too. The vast majority of them will come to the location in the middle of November and will then leave when February begins. This can vary though, since not all of them will arrive and leave at the same time.
From the first week of August until April you will find the rufous hummingbird in Louisiana. You’ll also see the Calliope hummingbird from the middle of November until the middle of April. The buff bellied hummingbird will winter in Louisiana too, from the middle of September until April.
Basically, you are going to need to ensure that you keep the feeder up throughout the entire year.
Maine
The ruby throated hummingbird will come to Maine from the middle of April and will then leave by the time October is wrapping up.
As such, it’s best to hang the feeders during the beginning of April, and then remove them in the beginning of November if you haven’t seen any hummingbirds for 2 weeks.
Maryland
You can usually find the ruby throated hummingbird from the middle of April up until the end of October. You may also find the Rufous hummingbird in the winter too, and they will usually appear in September and then leave at the end of April.
As such, you should put the feeder up in the beginning of April if you are in Maryland. You can then take it down at the end of November if no hummingbirds have been spotted for 2 weeks.
Massachusetts
The ruby throated hummingbird will appear in Massachusetts from the middle of April and will leave at the end of November.
Because of this, the best thing to do is to make sure that your bird feeders are out right at the beginning of April for the best results. You can take them down in December if no hummingbirds have been seen in the two week timeframe from the end of November.
Michigan
The ruby throated hummingbird comes to Michigan at the end of April and then leaves at the middle of October. As per usual, put the feeders out at the beginning of April and then take them down in the middle of November in the absence of any hummingbird activity for 2 weeks prior.
Minnesota
The first arrival of the ruby-throated hummingbird will be towards the end of April, and it will usually leave at the end of October.
It’s best to put the feeders out in the middle of April if you live in Minnesota, and then ke them down in the middle of November after seeing no hummingbird activity for two weeks straight.
Mississippi
You will see the ruby throated hummingbird from the end of February until the end of December – they hang out here for quite some time!
You may sometimes see wintering hummingbirds in this state too, such as the black chinned, rufous, calliope, buff bellied and of course the ruby throated hummingbird.
The best thing to do is to keep the hummingbird feeders well stocked throughout the whole year if you live in Mississippi. If you notice that there has been an absence of hummingbird activity then you can take the feeders down in December then put them back up again in February.
Missouri
You will find the ruby throated hummingbird in Missouri from the end of March until the end of November.
As such, the feeders need to go up in the middle of March, and get taken down in the middle of December if there has been no indication of hummingbird activity for two weeks.
Montana
You can find the black chinned hummingbird in Montana from the first week of May until the end of September. Just before this, you may see the rufous hummingbird appear in Montana from mid April and they will then leave in the end of September,
Calliope Hummingbirds will arrive and depart in Montana around the same time as the Rufous hummingbird.
The broad tailed hummingbird will make an appearance during the beginning of may and will then leave in the middle of September.
It’s pretty rare to see them, but you will occasionally see the ruby throated hummingbird during the fall in migration season. In particular, you are most likely to see them during August and September.
Thanks to this, the best thing to do is to ensure that the feeders are up and ready to go from the beginning of April and you can then take them down in the beginning of November in the absence of any hummingbird activity for two weeks.
Nebraska
The ruby throated hummingbird will appear in Nebraska at the end of April and will stay in the area until the middle of October.
It’s usually best to put the feeders up in the middle of April to prepare for their migration at the end of April. You can then take them down when November is done.
Nevada
You will find the Anna’s hummingbird throughout the whole year in the lowlands of Western and Southern Nevada.
In southern Nevada the Costa’s hummingbird can be seen throughout the year.
You will find the black chinned hummingbird in the location from the middle of March up until the end of October.
Likewise, broad tailed hummingbirds also arrive in the beginning of March and they then leave at the end of September.
You can find the calliope hummingbird from the end of march up until the end of september in Nevada.
During migration season, the rufous hummingbird may stop in Nevada during the spring and fall. This will usually be from the middle of March until May, and then again from the middle of June until the middle of October.
It’s usually a good idea to ensure that your bird feeder remains up during the entire year if you are located in southern or western Nevada.
If you are located anywhere else in this state then it will be sufficient to put the feeders up at the beginning of March and then you can take them down in the middle of November.
New Hampshire
You will generally find the ruby throated hummingbird in New Hampshire from the middle of April until the middle of October. The best thing to do in terms of planning is to hang the feeders in the first week of April and then take them down in the middle of November.
New Jersey
The ruby throated hummingbird will show up in New Jersey at the end of March and will leave at the beginning of November.
It’s best to put the feeders up in New Jersey in the middle of March, taking them down after two weeks of inactivity in the beginning of December.
New Mexico
The black chinned hummingbird will come to New Mexico at the beginning of March and will leave towards the end of November.
The broad tailed hummingbird will come to New Mexico at the beginning of March and will leave towards the end of November.
The rufous hummingbird will migrate during the fall and will come to New Mexico in the middle of June and leave in the middle of November.
Likewise, the Calliope hummingbird is also a fall migrant that will arrive at the end of June and then leave when October is over.
You will sometimes find the Broad tailed, rufous and the Anna’s hummingbird wintering in New Mexico too.
There are even some rarer kinds of hummingbirds that can be located in the Southwestern part of New Mexico during the summer and the fall, with some of them being available during the whole year.
These birds are the blue throated, mountain gem, lucifer, rivoli’s, broad billed and the violet crowned hummingbird, though there are certainly even more than this that we haven’t mentioned.
If you are in New Mexico then you should put the feeders up during the end of February and then take them down at the end of December. With that being said, some hummingbirds will also winter here so it can also be a good idea to keep the feeder up throughout the whole year.
New York
You will find the ruby throated hummingbird in New York from the beginning of April until the middle of November, so it’s a good idea to keep the feeders out from the end of March until the beginning of December.
North Carolina
The ruby throated hummingbird will usually appear in North Carolina towards the end of March and it will then leave in the middle of November. There are certainly many of these birds that will stay throughout the whole winter.
You aren’t usually going to find other kinds of hummingbird throughout the whole year if you live in North Carolina, at least on a regular basis. It is possible to find at least 10 kinds of rare species during the winter though. For this reason you should keep the feeders up all year round.
North Dakota
The ruby throated hummingbird shows up from the end of April until the beginning of October in North Dakota. Put the feeder up in the middle of April and then take it down in the middle of October.
Ohio
The ruby throated hummingbird will be here from the beginning of April until November. You can also find other species here from September through to December. As such, you should put the feeders out in the final week of March and then take them down in the middle of December.
Oklahoma
The ruby throated hummingbird appears in the final week of March and will leave at the end of October.
You may also find the Black chinned hummingbird and the rufous hummingbird here throughout the year, generally in the same kind of time frame, though the rufous is only a migrant in the fall. The best thing to do is to put the feeders up in the 3rd week of March and then take them down in the middle of November.

Oregon
In Oregon, you’ll find a wide variety of hummingbirds appearing at different times of the year, including the black chinned, anna’s, rufous, allen’s and calliope hummingbirds. Keep your feeders up all year for the best results.
Pennsylvania
You’ll find the ruby throated hummingbird here from the beginning of April until the end of November, though you may sometimes see the rufous hummingbird here too. Put the feeder up at the end of March and then take them down at the beginning of December.
Rhode Island
It’s usually best to put the hummingbird feeders out in the beginning of April in order to get the ruby throated hummingbird to your yard. Take them down in November.
South Carolina
The ruby throated hummingbird is the main kind you’ll see here, but you can also find other species throughout the year. For this reason, it’s usually best to keep the feeder up throughout the whole year if possible.
South Dakota
You can find the ruby throated hummingbird, broad tailed and rufous hummingbirds in South Dakota. Put your feeders up at the end of April and then take them down at the end of October.
Tennessee
The ruby throated hummingbird and various rare hummingbirds are present in Tennessee. You’ll also get the rufous hummingbird here. To get the best chance of seeing all that nature has to offer, put the feeder up in the middle of March and take them down at the end of December.
Texas
A wide variety of different hummingbirds come to Texas, especially as some of them winter in the location. As such, you’re going to need to keep those feeders stocked throughout the entire year!
Utah
Lots of different kinds of hummingbirds appear in Utah throughout the whole year, so keep those feeders up for the best chance to glimpse at them all!
Vermont
To attract the ruby throated hummingbird, put your feeder up during the beginning of April up until the beginning of December, since they will arrive in the middle of April in Vermont.
Virginia
The ruby throated hummingbird is in Virginia from the middle of March until early December, so put your feeders up just before they arrive at the beginning of March and take them down in the middle of December.

Washington
There’s a variety of different birds that you can find in Washington. In Western Washington your feeder will need to stay up all year, whereas in the East you can put them up at the end of March and take them down in the middle of October.
West Virginia
To see the ruby throated hummingbird and the rufous hummingbird, you should put the feeders up in the middle of March and take them down in the middle of December.
Wisconsin
Ruby throated hummingbirds appear from the middle of April until the end of November, so put your feeders up in early April and take them down in mid December.
Wyoming
To see a variety of hummingbirds in Wyoming, put the feeders up at the end of April and take them down at the end of October.

Related Questions
How long does the hummingbird migration last?
It is different for each species of hummingbird. Some of them don’t travel too far, like to Panama. However others have to cross the Gulf of Mexico and continue further south. It also depends on the weather patterns, size of bird and other factors. Generally migrating hummingbirds are absent from their breeding grounds during fall and winter.
How many years does a hummingbird live?
The average lifespan for hummingbirds is 3-5 years.
What can I feed hummingbirds besides sugar water?
You can also provide feeders with food stuffs on them alongside your nectar feeders. Suitable foods include fruit that will attract flies, fruit juices, spiders.