Hummingbird Migration in Nevada

Nine common questions about the migration of Nevada hummingbirds are discussed in this article.

When do hummingbirds arrive in Nevada?

The earliest arrivals of Nevada hummingbirds are seen in mid-to-late March, with peak migration occurring in May.
Nevada hummingbirds begin their spring migration north from as far away as Panama or as close as Mexico.

Nevada has two year-round residents; the Anna’s and Costa’s hummingbirds, according to the United States Department of Agriculture in Nevada (USDA).

Both hummingbirds, the Anna’s and Costa’s hummingbirds are seen in Nevada before the spring migration hummingbirds arrive.

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.

The most common year-round resident in Nevada are Anna’s and Costa’s hummingbirds, however the first migratory hummingbirds to be spotted there are Rufous hummingbirds.

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

Hummingbirds starting their spring migration from Panama need to fly about 3,000 miles to reach the middle of Nevada.

Hummingbirds starting their journey from Mexico need to fly about 600 miles to reach Nevada.

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

According to the United States Department of Agriculture in Nevada (USDA), the Anna’s and Costa’s hummingbirds are seen and live in the far southern areas of Nevada year-round.

Some hummingbirds that are too old or injured to migrate south can spend the winter in Nevada.

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

See my article:
3 Reasons Why Hummingbirds Are Banded

Year-round overwintering hummingbirds in Nevada include:
Anna’s and Costa’s hummingbirds.

What Nevada hummingbirds breed and nest in the state?

The Anna’s, Costa’s, Black-chinned, Broad-tailed and Calliope hummingbirds are the 5 species that breed and nest in Nevada listed in order of frequently seen.

Breeding maps for hummingbirds that breed and nest in Nevada, reported by ebird.org

• Anna’s
• Costa’s
• Black-chinned
• Broad-tailed
• Calliope

Hummingbird Breeding Maps:

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 Nevada.
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 Nevada?

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

Many leave their hummingbird feeders up all year for Nevada’s year-round residents; the Anna’s and Costa’s hummingbirds.

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

Keep feeders up throughout the hummingbird season between early 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.

Many leave their hummingbird feeders up all year for the cold-tolerant hummingbirds that may over-winter in Nevada, or for the old or injured unable to migrate.

How long do hummingbirds stay in Nevada?

Nevada migrating hummingbirds stay in the state for at least seven months.
They will start arriving in mid-March and most will be gone by October.
Anna’s and Costa’s hummingbirds live in Nevada year-round.

Some hummingbirds that are too old or injured to migrate may choose to over-winter in Nevada, but most will migrate south for the winter.

Hummingbird Seasons in Nevada

Season:	Activity:
Mid-March	First arriving (Rufous)
April – July	Peak season for feeding and nesting
Late July – Early October	Fall migration
October – Beyond	Rare overwintering species & year-round (Anna’s & 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 southern migration in the fall.

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

The most common hummingbirds Nevadans will see during the hot summer months will be the Anna’s, Costa’s, Black-chinned, Broad-tailed, Rufous, and Calliope 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 Nevada 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 extremely cold-tolerant hummingbirds that are too old or injured to migrate and the two year-round residents, the Anna’s and Costa’s hummingbirds, are the most probable hummingbirds to decide to spend the winter in Nevada.

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

When do hummingbirds leave Nevada?

Nevada’s migrating 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.
Most Anna’s and Costa’s hummingbirds live in Nevada 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 end of 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 Nevada hummingbird to migrate?

It takes a Nevada hummingbird about 20 hours of flying at its average migrating flight speed of 30mph to fly from  Nevada to the Mexican border 600 miles away.
Hummingbirds migrating to Panama 3,000 miles away, will need to fly 100 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.

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 to take down hummingbird feeders in Nevada?

Early October or after a few weeks without any hummingbird sightings, is the ideal time to remove Nevada hummingbird feeders for the winter.
Many Nevadans leave feeders up all winter to feed year-round residents (Anna’s and Costa’s) and over-wintering hummingbirds too old or injured to migrate.

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

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

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

Where Do Nevada Hummingbirds Go in The Winter?

Nevada’s Black-chinned, Broad-tailed, Rufous, Calliope, Broad-billed, and Rivoli’s migrating hummingbirds travel south to over-winter in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.
Nevada’s year-round hummingbirds: the Anna’s and Costa’s hummingbirds, remain in Nevada over the winter.

See Nevada’s wintering hummingbirds map as reported by ebird.org

• Black-chinned
• Broad-tailed
• Rufous
• Calliope
• Broad-billed
• Rivoli’s

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 Nevada:
(Pictures and Sounds)

Happy Hummingbird Watching!

Check out my other posts on Hummingbird Questions