Hummingbird Migration in Pennsylvania
Nine common questions regarding the migration of Pennsylvania hummingbirds are discussed in this article.
When do hummingbirds arrive in Pennsylvania?
The earliest arriving Pennsylvania hummingbirds are seen in mid-to-late April, with peak migration occurring in early May.
Pennsylvania 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 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 hummingbirds in Pennsylvania.
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
Photo by: Rekha Pawar
Hummingbirds starting their spring migration from Panama need to fly about 4,528 miles (if they choose to stay over landmass) or 2,149 (if they choose to fly over the Gulf of Mexico) to reach Pennsylvania.
Hummingbirds starting their journey from Mexico need to fly 1,897 miles (from the Mexican border at Brownsville Texas to Philadelphia) to reach Pennsylvania.
Are there hummingbirds that live in Pennsylvania year-round?
There are no hummingbird species that live in Pennsylvania year-round.
The two most commonly seen hummingbirds in Pennsylvania: the Ruby-throated and Rufous hummingbirds both are migratory birds that leave Pennsylvania in the fall to their wintering grounds during fall migration.
However, some Rufous hummingbirds occasionally are seen in the middle of winter.
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 hummingbird that can overwinter in Pennsylvania:
Photo by: Bob Free
What hummingbirds breed and nest in Pennsylvania?
The Ruby-throated hummingbird is the only hummingbird that breeds and nests in Pennsylvania.
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.
Photo by: Paula Leftwich
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.
According to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.gov (CWP), Ruby-throated hummingbirds breed in late May and June with second broods occurring into July.
On average, the Ruby-throated hummingbird will raise two families per year in Pennsylvania.
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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania hummingbird enthusiasts should put up hummingbird feeders in mid-April to attract the earliest arriving migrating hummingbirds.
The peak spring migration period occurs in late April to early 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.
Photo by: dgen.photos
How long do hummingbirds stay in Pennsylvania?
The first migrating hummingbirds arrive in Pennsylvania in mid-to-late April and the last migrating hummingbirds are usually gone by late October.
No hummingbird species live in Pennsylvania year-round.
Hummingbird Seasons in Pennsylvania
| Season: | Activity: |
| Mid-to-late April | First arriving (Ruby-throated) |
| May – August | Peak season for feeding and nesting |
| September – Mid-October | Fall migration |
| Late October – 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
Scarlet Bee Balm – (Monarda didyma)
Photo by: Andy Raupp
The most common hummingbirds Pennsylvanians will see during the hot summer months will be the Ruby-throated hummingbird with the Rufous hummingbird being a distant second.
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 September and most hummingbirds will be gone from Pennsylvania 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 and those too old or injured to migrate is the most probable migratory hummingbird to decide to sometimes spend the winter in Pennsylvania.
Pennsylvania 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 hummingbirds leave Pennsylvania?
During fall migration, Pennsylvania’s migrating hummingbirds begin leaving the state in early September, and by late October they have migrated to their over-wintering areas in Mexico and Central America.
No hummingbirds live in Pennsylvania 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.
When should I take down hummingbird feeders in Pennsylvania?
Mid-October, or after a few weeks without any hummingbird sightings, is the ideal time to remove Pennsylvania hummingbird feeders for the winter.
Feeders are left up all winter by some Pennsylvanians to feed the uncommon hummingbirds that are too old or injured to migrate.
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?
Hummingbirds that depend on these wintertime feeders 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
Hummingbirds are much more tolerant of cold temperatures than most people realize.
Some Rufous hummingbirds choose to stay in Pennsylvania during the winter.
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:
3 Reasons Why Hummingbirds Are Banded
How long does it take a Pennsylvania hummingbird to migrate?
It takes a Pennsylvania hummingbird about 63 hours of flying at its average migrating flight speed of 30mph to fly from Pennsylvania to the most distant Mexican border 1,897 miles away.
Hummingbirds migrating to Panama 2,149 miles across the Gulf of Mexico or 4,528 over land, will need to fly 150 hours.
Some fly at a 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 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.
Photo by: Bob Free
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 Pennsylvania hummingbirds go in the winter?
Pennsylvania’s Ruby-throated, Rufous, Allen’s, Calliope, Black-chinned, and Broad-billed 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.
Bahama Woodstar over-winters in the Caribbean Islands.
Overwintering areas for Pennsylvania hummingbirds listed in order of frequently seen:
What are the most common hummingbirds seen in Pennsylvania?
The most commonly seen hummingbirds in Pennsylvania are:
Ruby-throated and Rufous hummingbirds.
These are Pennsylvania statistics at the end of 2023 as reported by ebird.org
On average, out of 10,000 hummingbird sightings in Pennsylvania, 9,881 will be Ruby-throated and 822 will be Rufous hummingbird sightings.
See my article:
Hummingbirds Found in Pennsylvania: (Pictures and Sounds)
Check out my other posts on Hummingbird Questions
Happy Hummingbird Watching!
