Hummingbird Migration: When They Leave and Return
Ruby-throats in the East, Rufous and others in the West: a region-by-region guide to when hummingbirds arrive in spring, when they leave in fall, and how your yard can help.
6 min read
Field guide · Topic
Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds need clean nectar, the right flowers and a feeder they can find. These guides cover the standard sugar-water recipe, cleaning schedules by temperature, where to hang feeders and when to put them out and take them down in your region. You will also find help with leaking and moldy feeders, ants and bees, the hummingbird species found in the US, migration timing, nests and behavior at the feeder. The basics are simple: plain white sugar and water, no red dye or honey, and a feeder cleaned often.
Hummingbirds guides
Hummingbird Nectar Recipe: The 4-to-1 Ratio, No Red Dye
The only hummingbird nectar recipe you need is plain white sugar and water, 1 to 4. Here are batch sizes, what never to add, and how often to change it.
5 min read
When to Take Down Hummingbird Feeders in Fall
Leave nectar out until two weeks after your last hummingbird. Regional timing, the migration myth, and how to clean feeders before you store them.
6 min read