When to put up your hummingbird feeders …..
A good friend just asked me when she should put up her hummingbird feeder. We live in central Illinois, so in my experience, I recommend between March 21st and April 1st. Below are some target dates for other areas of the country and Canada. Observe in your own yard and garden – it is important to hummingbirds for the feeders to be in place when they arrive. Remember, they have travelled a long way and will be hungry and thirsty. If they arrive before their favorite flowers are in full bloom or the insects they eat are not yet available, your feeder will be an important source of food. You can put feeders up any time in later spring and summer, but getting them out early helps these birds quite a bit. (Note: Dates for every state can be found online. I took this into consideration but also asked my friends and family what their experiences are. The dates I have listed reflect this)
I have listed dates below, by region, as to approximate dates for your feeders to be placed outside. But I think the best way to decide when to put up your feeders is to observe in your own garden. If you live where hummingbirds are residents all year round, then consider maintaining your feeders all year round. This would include the Gulf Coast, The Pacific Coast, and parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. If you live where hummingbirds live in spring and summer, then in late winter or early spring, start observing in your garden.
When you see your first hummingbird in late winter or spring, you can assume this is actually not the first and that they have probably started arriving about a week earlier. Mark your calendar for the following year to reflect that. For example, if you see your first hummingbird April 10th, they have probably been in your area since April 1st, so mark your next year calendar to put your feeder up April 1st.
Here are approximate dates when you should put up your feeders: (For a list of states within regions, please look at the end of my article Hummingbirds – Gardens and Feeders.)
New England, Mid-Atlantic States, and the Lower Mid-West: March 21-April 1.
Northern and Central States, and Canada: April 1-10.
Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina: March 10th.
Southeastern and Southern States: – March 1st.
Observe in your own garden and the gardens of your neighbors. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are extending their winter range in these states. There have always been some that winter in gardens right along the Gulf Coast, but now more and more are wintering two hundred miles or more inland. If you live within two hundred miles of the coast, you might be able to leave your feeders up all winter.
New Mexico, Arizona, and Nevada: March 20-30.
Colorado, Wyoming, and Utah: April 15.
California, Oregon, and Washington: April 15-30. Observe in your own garden. In some areas, hummingbirds reside all year round. If they do, consider keeping your feeders filled all year round.
For more information on hummingbirds, their feeders, and their gardens, see my Article: Hummingbirds – Gardens and Feeders.
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