Hummingbird Migration in California
Ten common questions regarding the migration of California hummingbirds are discussed in this article.
When do hummingbirds arrive in California?
The earliest arrivals of California hummingbirds are seen in January, and continue north to their preferred nesting area, somewhere near their own birth.
California hummingbirds begin their spring migration north from as far away as Panama or as close as Mexico.
The first migrating hummingbirds will be males, followed by females about a week later. The males arrive first to stake out the territory that they will defend as they try to attract a female.
Anna’s hummingbirds are by far the most commonly seen hummingbird in California, with a the Allen’s being second.
Watch for the male’s vividly colored gorget; a week or so later, the females will begin to appear at your feeders.
Read my article:
How to Identify a Hummingbird’s Gender in 4 Easy Steps
Photo: Ventura, CA
Hummingbirds starting their spring migration from Panama need to fly 3,400 miles to reach the northernmost part of California.
Hummingbirds starting their journey from Mexico need to fly about 878 miles to reach the northernmost part of California.
What are the most common hummingbirds seen in California?
The Anna’s hummingbirds are by far the most common hummingbirds seen in California, with the Allen’s hummingbird being the second.
These are California’s statistics at the beginning of
2025 as reported by ebird.org
- On average, out of 10,000 hummingbird sightings in California, 7,042 will be Anna’s.
- On average, out of 10,000 hummingbird sightings in California, 2,044 will be Allen’s.
Photo by: Bob Free
Photo Taken: Wolf, Nevada County, CA
Photo by: IntheWildwithRick
Photo Taken:
Kenneth Hahn State Recreation
LA County Parks, CA
Are there California hummingbirds that live in the state year-round?
Anna’s, Allen’s, and Costa’s hummingbirds are year-round residents to California.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture in California (USDA), Anna’s hummingbirds are found throughout all of California year-round, while Allen’s and Costa’s are primarily found in Southern California year-round.
Some hummingbirds that are too old or injured to migrate are also seen in the middle of winter, however most are migratory and leave for warmer climates in the fall.
The general public is unaware of how cold-tolerant hummingbirds actually are.
Some banded hummingbirds have been observed at temperatures as low as -9 degrees Fahrenheit with a wind chill of -36 degrees Fahrenheit, according to eBird.org.
Read my article:
3 Reasons Why Hummingbirds Are Banded
Which California hummingbirds breed and nest in the state?
The 7 hummingbirds that breed and nest in California, listed in order of frequently seen:
Anna’s, Allen’s, Costa’s, Black-chinned, Rufous, Calliope, and Broad-tailed hummingbirds.
Breeding map for hummingbirds that breed and nest in California, reported by ebird.org
All other hummingbirds seen in California are just passing through to their nesting destination, somewhere near their own bird.
Photo by: IntheWildwithRick
Photo Taken: Shoreline Park & Lake, CA
The entire reason for northern migration, much like salmon swimming upstream to their place of birth to lay eggs, is to return to the area where they were born to mate, build a nest, and raise a family.
Once the breeding grounds have been reached, focus turns to finding a partner with which to mate.
Each species of male hummingbirds has its own unique mating dance ritual of courtship to attract a female. They do perfectly choreographed dives and dance maneuvers to attract a flirty female.
See my article:
Hummingbird Dance: 5 Interpretive Explanations
There is no penetration during the mating ritual as male hummingbirds do not have any external sexual organs.
The mating process only lasts for approximately 3-5 seconds while the cloacae (kloh-ay-see) of both hummingbirds are pressed together in what is called the “Cloacal Kiss” (kloh-a-coal kiss).
After the Cloacal kiss, the female must begin building the nest immediately.
Female hummingbirds prefer building nests 10 to 20 feet off the ground in deciduous trees.
It will take her between 5 and 7 days to construct the nest of materials such as plant down, moss, and fine plant fibers, decorated with lichens and held together by spider webs.
See my article:
Hummingbird Parents: (Mating to Nesting)
See my article:
Baby Hummingbirds: (Egg to Fledgling)
Hummingbirds usually lay 2 eggs per brood, one each on consecutive days.
On average, hummingbirds will raise two families per year in California.
However, there are occasions where they are able to work in an additional family for a total of three families per year.
Photo Taken: Fresno, California
Photo by: IntheWildwithRick
Photo Taken: San Francisco Bay Area, CA
Photo by: IntheWildwithRick
Photo Taken: Shoreline Park & Lake, CA
When should I put out my hummingbird feeders in California?
Californians leave their hummingbird feeders up all year for the Anna’s, Allen’s, and Costa’s hummingbirds that live in California year-round.
To attract the earliest arriving migrating hummingbirds to California, hummingbird enthusiasts should put out feeders in January.
Male hummingbirds will be the first to arrive followed by female hummingbirds about a week later.
Keep feeders up throughout California’s peak spring hummingbird migration is from March to June as they migrate north from their wintering grounds in Central America.
Make sure to use high-quality nectar solutions in your hummingbird feeders; homemade nectar works best.
See my article:
Forget Commercial Hummingbird Food, Try Making Homemade Nectar
See my article:
The One Thing You Need to Eliminate From a Hummingbird’s Diet
Clean feeders regularly (every 2-3 days in hot weather) to prevent mold and bacteria.
Place feeders in partially shaded areas to keep nectar fresh longer.
Photo Taken: Ventura, California
How long do hummingbirds stay in California?
Anna’s, Allen’s, and Costa’s hummingbirds live in California year-round.
California’s migrating hummingbirds stay in the state for at least nine months.
They will start arriving in January and will be gone by October.
Hummingbird Seasons in California
| Season: | Activity: |
| January – February | First arriving (Rufous) Year-round (Anna’s, Allen’s, and Costa’s) |
| March – June | Peak season for nesting and breeding |
| Late July – September | Fall migration |
| October – Beyond | Overwintering species (Anna’s, Allen’s, and Costa’s) |
Hummingbirds have exceptional memories and will remember every flower or feeder they visited on the spring migration and will return to those nectar sources on their return to southern migration in the fall.
See my article:
Hummingbird Adaptation and Remarkable Ability to Locate Food
Cigar Plant – Cuphea ignea
Photo Taken: Ventura, CA
The most common California hummingbirds seen during the hot summer months will be the Anna’s, Allen’s, Costa’s, Black-chinned, and Rufous hummingbirds.
When the obstacles of summer heat are difficult to manage and unbearable, finding ways to keep your hummingbirds happy and hydrated with cool nectar is crucial.
See my article:
How to Help Hummingbirds in Hot Weather
Fall migration begins in late July and most hummingbirds will be gone from California by October.
The general public is unaware of how tolerant hummingbirds actually are.
Some banded hummingbirds have been observed at temperatures as low as -9 degrees Fahrenheit with a wind chill of -36 degrees Fahrenheit, according to eBird.org.
Some hummingbirds that are too old or injured to migrate may choose to overwinter in California, however most will migrate south for the winter.
See my article:
11 DIY Ways to Keep Hummingbird Nectar From Freezing
When do California hummingbirds leave the state?
Anna’s, Allen’s, and Costa’s hummingbirds live in California year-round.
California’s migrating hummingbirds begin leaving the state and begin their fall migration as early as late July and by October they have traveled to their over-wintering areas in Mexico and Central America.
A few older hummingbirds will be the first to start the fall migration, depending on their strength and energy, with the youngest hummingbirds finishing the fall migration by October.
Some migrating hummingbirds choose to over-winter in California and those too old or injured to migrate.
Hummingbird migration is triggered by the circadian (internal daily clock) and the circannual (yearly internal clock) rhythm.
Changes in the weather, temperature, time of season, decline in food supply and shorter days with less sunlight are factors that influence the beginning of fall migration.
Similar to spring migration, male hummingbirds are the first to leave and head south for the winter during fall migration.
As soon as the female hummingbirds have finished raising their young and can travel independently, they will set out on their southern fall migration.
California’s Top Six
Hummingbird Fall Migration Patterns
In order of frequently seen:
| Hummingbirds: | Migration Season: |
| Anna’s, Allen’s, Costa’s | Year-Round |
| Black-chinned | Late August to September |
| Rufous | July to September |
| Calliope | August to September |
When to take down hummingbird feeders in California?
In California, you can leave hummingbird feeders up year-round to feed the Anna’s, Allen’s, and Costa’s hummingbirds that are year-round residents to the state.
Taking down hummingbird feeders in California during mid-winter can be fatal.
Leaving feeders up does not stop all other migrating hummingbirds as they leave based on instinct and daylight changes, not food availability.
Hummingbirds are much more tolerant of cold temperatures than most people realize.
According to eBird.org, some banded hummingbirds have been documented in temperatures of -9 degrees Fahrenheit with a wind chill of -36 degrees Fahrenheit.
See my article:
11 DIY Ways to Keep Hummingbird Nectar From Freezing
See my article:
Should I Keep My Hummingbird Feeder Out During the Winter?
Photo by: Andrea Varju
How long does it take a California hummingbird to migrate?
It takes a California hummingbird about 30 hours of flying at its average migrating flight speed of 30mph to fly from northern-most California to the Mexican border 900 miles away.
California’s northern-most hummingbirds migrating to Panama 3,400 miles away, will need to fly 113 hours.
Some fly at the relaxed distance as slow as 1 hour per day, others fly up to 500 miles non-stop in about 20 hours as some do while migrating across the Gulf of America.
Hummingbirds do not migrate in flocks as do other migrating birds.
Hummingbirds migrate individually on their own personal time clock.
This staggered migration pattern ensures resources are not consumed and depleted all at one time.
As migration approaches, hummingbirds routinely gain 25% to 50% of their body weight by consuming increased quantities of nectar from feeders and flowering plants as well as catching an increased quantity of bugs mid-air for protein.
This increase in body fat helps fuel the hummingbird on its long migration journey.
Photo by: IntheWildwithRick
Photo Taken:
O’Donohue Family Stanford
Educational Farm
Farm in Stanford, CA
The hummingbirds that visited your feeders during the spring migration will remember exactly where your feeder is located and will most likely revisit that same feeder on their way to their over-wintering area in Mexico and Central America.
Maintaining feeders is critical in order to maximize food consumption that nourishes and prepares their bodies for migration.
See my article:
Hummingbird Adaptation and Remarkable Ability to Locate Food
Where do California hummingbirds go in the winter?
California year-round resident hummingbirds, Anna’s, Allen’s, and Costa’s hummingbirds, remain in California over the winter.
California’s migrating hummingbirds travel south to over-winter in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.
See California’s wintering hummingbirds map as reported by ebird.org
In order of frequently seen
- Anna’s
- Allen’s
- Costa’s
- Black-chinned
- Rufous
- Calliope
- Broad-billed
- Broad-tailed
- Ruby-throated
- Violet-crowned
- Rivoli’s
- Xantus’s
- Blue-throated Mt-gem
- Mexican Violetear
All hummingbirds have excellent memories and can remember every flower or feeder they visited during spring migration and will return to those locations along their migration pathway year after year.
Some hummingbirds have been documented returning to a feeder for a couple of years after it was removed.
See my article:
Hummingbird Adaptation and Remarkable Ability to Locate Food
See my article:
Hummingbirds Found in California: (Pictures and Sounds)
Happy Hummingbird Watching!
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