Hummingbird Migration in Florida

Ten common questions regarding the migration of Florida hummingbirds are discussed in this article.

When do hummingbirds arrive in Florida?

The earliest arrivals of Florida hummingbirds are seen in late February, with peak migration occurring in March and April.
Florida 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, according to the University of Florida. The males arrive first to stake out the territory that they will defend as they try to attract a female.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are by far the most commonly seen and are the first migrating hummingbirds to be seen in Florida.

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 Taken: Oak Hill, Florida

Hummingbirds start their spring migration from as far south as Panama and need to fly about 3,800 miles to reach the middle of Florida if they choose to follow the coast line.

Hummingbirds starting their journey north from Mexico need to fly about 1,400 miles to reach the middle of Florida.

What are the most common hummingbirds seen in Florida?

The Ruby-throated hummingbirds are by far the most common hummingbirds seen in Florida, with the Rufous hummingbird being a distant second.

These are Florida’s statistics at the beginning of 2025 as reported by ebird.org

• On average, out of 10,000 hummingbird sightings in Florida, 9,569 will be Ruby-throated.
• On average, out of 10,000 hummingbird sightings in Florida, 3,093 will be Rufous.

Photo Taken: Oak Hill, Florida

Are there Florida hummingbirds that live in the state year-round?

The Ruby-throated hummingbird can live in Florida year-round.
Some occasional over-wintering Rufous, Black-chinned, and Broad-billed hummingbirds are seen in the middle of winter in Florida.
All other hummingbird species found in Florida are migratory and leave for warmer climates in the fall.

Other hummingbirds seen in the middle of winter are those that are too old or injured to migrate.

The general public is unaware of how cold-tolerant hummingbirds actually are.
According to eBird.org, through branding practices hummingbirds are documented to survive in temperatures of -9F and wind chills of -36F.

See my article:
3 Reasons Why Hummingbirds Are Banded

Ruby-throated hummingbird that are year-round to Florida.

Photo Taken: Oak Hill, Florida

What hummingbirds breed and nest in Florida?

The Ruby-throated hummingbird is the only hummingbird that breeds and nests in Florida.
All other hummingbirds seen in Florida are just passing through to their nesting destination, somewhere near their own bird.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds has an extensive breeding area that covers the entire eastern half of the United States and extends into Canada as far west as Alberta.

Photo Taken: Oak Hill, Florida

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, the Ruby-throated hummingbird will raise two families per year in Florida.
However, there are occasions where they are able to work in an additional family for a total of three families per year.

When should I put out hummingbird feeders in Florida?

Florida hummingbird enthusiasts should put out hummingbird feeders in late February to attract the very earliest arriving migrating hummingbirds.
The peak migration period occurs in March and April, therefore having your feeders ready early will help attract these tiny travelers.

Approximately one week after the arrival of the male hummingbirds, the females will follow.

Keep feeders up throughout the hummingbird season between March through October.
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: Oak Hill, Florida

Many Florida hummingbird admirers leave their hummingbird feeders up all winter long to provide life-nourishing nectar to Florida’s year-round resident, the Ruby-throated hummingbird, hummingbird species that choose to overwinter or those unable to migrate due to injury or old age.

However, most of these hummingbirds will not spend the winter in Florida and will decide to migrate south for the winter.

How long do hummingbirds stay in Florida?

Most Florida hummingbirds stay in the state for at least eight months.
They will start arriving as early as late February and most will be gone by October.
The Ruby-throated hummingbird is the only species that can live in Florida year-round.

Hummingbird Seasons in Florida

Season:	Activity:
Late February – March	First arriving (Ruby-throated)
April – June	Peak season for nesting
Late July – October	Fall migration
November – Beyond	Rare overwintering species (Rufous, Black-chinned, and Broad-billed)

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 southern migration in the fall.

See my article: 
Hummingbird Adaptation and Remarkable Ability to Locate Food

Photo taken in southern Florida.

The most common Florida hummingbird seen during the hot summer months will be the Ruby-throated hummingbird.
A rare summer visitor to Florida include the Black-chinned hummingbird.

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 Florida 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 Rufous, Black-chinned, and Broad-billed hummingbirds occasionally overwinter in Florida, but most migrate south for the winter.

Other migrating seasonal hummingbirds that are too old or injured to migrate are also birds that Florida hummingbird enthusiasts will see during the winter.
Therefore, keeping feeders up during the winter is important.

See my article: 
11 DIY Ways to Keep Hummingbird Nectar From Freezing

When do hummingbirds leave Florida?

Florida hummingbirds begin leaving the state as early as late July and by October they have migrated to their over-wintering areas in Mexico and Central America.
The Ruby-throated hummingbird can live in Florida year-round and other species can choose to overwinter in the state.

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.

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.

How long does it take a Florida hummingbird to migrate?

It takes a Florida hummingbird about 45 hours of flying at its average migrating flight speed of 30 mph to fly from Florida to the Mexican border 1,400 miles away.
Some fly at a relaxed distance as slow as 1 hour a day, others can fly 500 miles non-stop in about 20 hours as some do while migrating across the Gulf of Mexico.

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.

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

When should I take down my hummingbird feeders in Florida?

The ideal time to take down feeders in Florida is in late fall or after a few weeks with no hummingbird sightings.
Some Floridians leave feeders up all winter to support Ruby-throated, Rufous, Black-chinned, and Broad-tailed hummingbirds that may overwinter or can’t migrate.

Leaving feeders up does not stop migration; hummingbirds leave based on instinct and daylight changes, not food availability.

Hummingbirds are much more tolerant of cold temperatures than most people realize.
They depend on these wintertime feeders and may can die if hummingbird feeders are taken down in the middle of winter during periods of below-freezing temperatures.

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?

Most migrating hummingbirds will not spend the winter in Florida and will decide to migrate south for the winter.

Where do Florida hummingbirds go in the winter?

Most of Florida’s migrating hummingbirds travel south to over-winter in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.
However, some species (Allen’s and Anna’s) over-winter in southern California.
The Bahama Woodstar overwinters in The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos Islands.

See Florida’s wintering hummingbirds map as reported by ebird.org
In order of frequently seen.

• Ruby-throated
• Rufous
• Black-chinned
• Buff-bellied
• Calliope
• Broad-billed
• Bahama Woodstar
• Broad-tailed
• Allen’s
• Costa’s
• Anna’s
• White-eared

All hummingbirds have excellent memories and can remember every flower or feeder they have visited during migration and will return to those sites along their migration pathway year after year.

Some hummingbirds have been spotted returning to a feeder for a couple of years after the feeder was removed.

See my article:
Hummingbird Adaptation and Remarkable Ability to Locate Food

Happy Hummingbird Watching!

Check out my other posts on Hummingbird Questions