Hummingbird Migration in Illinois

Nine common questions regarding the migration of Illinois hummingbirds are discussed in this article.

When do hummingbirds arrive in Illinois?

The earliest arriving Illinois hummingbirds are seen in mid-to-late April, with peak migration occurring in May.
Illinois migrating hummingbirds begin their northern spring migration from as far away as Panama, or as close as Mexico.

The first migrating hummingbirds will be males followed by the 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.

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

Watch for the male’s vividly colored gorget; a week or so later, the females will begin to appear at your feeders.

See my article:
How to Identify a Hummingbird’s Gender in 4 Easy Steps

Hummingbirds starting their spring migration from Panama need to fly about 3,871 miles (if they choose to stay over landmass) or 2,323 (if they choose to fly over the Gulf of America) to reach Chicago.

Hummingbirds starting their journey from Mexico need to fly 1,426 miles (from the Mexican border at Brownsville Texas) to reach Chicago.

Are there hummingbirds that live in Illinois year-round?

There are no hummingbird species that live in Illinois year-round.
However, some Rufous hummingbirds (although rare) occasionally are seen in the middle of winter in Illinois.

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

See my article:
3 Reasons Why Hummingbirds Are Banded

Rufous hummingbirds can overwinter in Illinois (Rare)

Which Illinois hummingbirds breed and nest in the state?

The Ruby-throated hummingbird is the only hummingbird that breeds and nests in Illinois, east of the Mississippi River.

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

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 Illinois.
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 up my hummingbird feeders in Illinois?

Illinois hummingbird enthusiasts should put out hummingbird feeders in mid-April to attract the very earliest arriving migrating hummingbirds.
The peak migration period occurs in May, 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 April 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.

How long do Illinois hummingbirds stay in the state?

The first migrating hummingbirds arrive in Illinois in mid-April and the last migrating hummingbirds are usually gone by October.
No hummingbird species live in Illinois year-round.

Hummingbird Seasons in Illinois

Season:	Activity:
Mid-April	First arriving (Ruby-throated)
May-August	Peak season for feeding and nesting
August–October	Fall migration
November – Beyond	Rare overwintering species (Rufous)

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

According to Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR), the most common migrant Illinois hummingbird seen during the hot summer months will be the Ruby-throated 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 August and most hummingbirds will be gone from Illinois 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.

The extremely cold-tolerant Rufous hummingbird (although rare) is the most probable migratory hummingbird to decide to sometimes spend the winter in Illinois.

Illinois hummingbird enthusiast will keep feeders up during the winter in rare times for those hummingbirds too old or injured to migrate.

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

When do Illinois hummingbirds leave the state?

During fall migration, Illinois hummingbirds begin leaving in August and by early October have migrated to their over-wintering areas in Mexico and Central America.
No hummingbirds live in Illinois year-round.

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 the second week in October according to the Chicago Botanic Garden (CBG).

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.

When should I take down hummingbird feeders in Illinois?

Mid- October, or after a few weeks without any hummingbird sightings, is the ideal time to remove Illinois hummingbird feeders for the winter.
Feeders are left up all winter by some Illinoisans to feed the uncommon hummingbirds that are too old or injured to migrate.

Some Rufous hummingbirds who decide to overwinter in Illinois depend on these wintertime feeders and may die if hummingbird feeders are taken down in the middle of winter during periods of below-freezing temperatures.

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

The dilemma hummingbird enthusiasts struggle with every year is whether to leave the hummingbird feeders up all year or take them down during the winter.

See my article:
Should I Keep My Hummingbird Feeder Out During the Winter?

How long does it take an Illinois hummingbird to migrate?

It takes an Illinois hummingbird 47 hours of flying at its average flight speed of 30mph to fly from Chicago to the Brownsville Texas Mexican border 1,426 miles away.
Chicago hummingbirds migrating to Panama 2,323 miles across the Gulf of America or 3,871 over land, will need to fly 77 or 129 hours respectively.

Some fly at a relaxed distance as slow as 1 hour per day, and 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.

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 Illinois hummingbirds go in the winter?

Illinois Ruby-throated, Rufous, Broad-billed, Mexican Violetear, and Broad-tailed migrating hummingbirds travel south to over-winter in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.
Anna’s over-winter in upper Mexico and California.
Allen’s over-winter in southern California.

Ruby-throated – The Ruby-throated hummingbird overwinters primarily in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.
They are seen in some years, during the winter months, in scattered areas throughout the USA including New Mexico, Texas, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

Rufous – The Rufous hummingbird overwinters primarily in Mexico.
They are seen in some years, during the winter months, in scattered areas throughout the USA including Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina and a few more east coast states.

Anna’s – The Anna’s hummingbird overwinters primarily along the western coastline of North America, starting from southern Canada all the way to northern Baja California.
The rest of winter Anna’s residents are also seen in northern Mexico.

Broad-billed – The Broad-billed hummingbird overwinters primarily in Mexico.
They are seen in some years, during winter months, in scattered areas throughout the USA including Texas, Arizona, Louisiana, Florida, and Utah.

Mexican Violetear – The Mexican Violetear hummingbird overwinters primarily in Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua.

Broad-tailed – The Broad-tailed hummingbird overwinters primarily in Mexico and Guatemala. They are seen in some years, during winter months, in scattered areas in Western Texas.

Allen’s – The Allen’s hummingbird overwinters primarily in southern California, however some rare sights are seen in Texas and Wisconsin.
The rest and small number of winter Allen’s residents are also seen in southern Mexico.

To see all the hummingbirds seen in Illinois
Read my article:
Hummingbirds Found in Illinois: (Pictures and Sounds)

Check out my other posts on Hummingbird Questions

Happy Hummingbird Watching!