Hummingbird Migration in Utah
Ten common questions about the migration of Utah hummingbirds are discussed in this article.
When do hummingbirds arrive in Utah?
The earliest arrivals of Utah hummingbirds are seen in mid-March, with peak migration occurring in April and May.
Utah 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.
The Black-chinned hummingbird is by far the most commonly seen and the first migrating hummingbirds to be seen in Utah.
Early Arriving Hummingbird Species
in Utah
| Hummingbird: | Arrival Time: |
| Black-chinned | Mid-to-late March (Southern Utah) |
| Broad-tailed | Early to mid-April (Higher elevations and mountains) |
| Rufous | April-May, (passing through) but more noticeable during fall migration (July-September) |
| Calliope | Late April to May (Northern and central Utah) |
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 by: bird.whisperer
Hummingbirds starting their spring migration from Panama need to fly about 2,900 miles to reach the center of Utah.
Hummingbirds starting their journey from the Mexican border need to fly about 800 miles to reach the center of Utah.
Are there Utah hummingbirds that live in the state year-round?
According to the United States Department of Agriculture in Utah (USDA), the Anna’s and Costa’s hummingbirds are seen and live in the southern areas of Utah year-round, even though they are not the first or second most commonly seen hummingbird in Utah.
Some hummingbirds that are too old or injured to migrate south can spend the winter in Utah.
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
Year-round overwintering hummingbirds in Utah include:
Anna’s and Costa’s hummingbirds.
Photo by: IntheWildwithRick
Photo by: hummingbirdsbysuprise
What Utah hummingbirds breed and nest in the state?
The Black-chinned, Broad-tailed, Anna’s, Calliope, and Costa’s hummingbirds are the species that breed and nest in Utah listed in order of frequently seen.
Breeding maps for hummingbirds that breed and nest in Utah, reported by ebird.org
Photo by: hummingbirdsbysurpise
Photo by: hummingbirdsbysuprise
Photo by: hummingbirdsbysuprise
Photo by: sony_alpha_male
Photo By: Aaron Gomperts
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.
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 Utah?
Utah hummingbird enthusiasts should put out hummingbird feeders in mid-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.
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 Utah, or for the old or injured unable to migrate.
How long do hummingbirds stay in Utah?
Utah 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.
Some Anna’s and Costa’s hummingbirds live in Utah year-round.
Some hummingbirds that are too old or injured to migrate may choose to over-winter in Utah, but most will migrate south for the winter.
Hummingbird Seasons in Utah
| Season: | Activity: |
| Mid-March | First arriving (Black-chinned) |
| April – July | Peak season for feeding and nesting |
| Late July – Late September | 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
Photo by: sony_alpa_male
The most common hummingbirds Utahans will see during the hot summer months will be the Black-chinned, with the Broad-tailed hummingbirds being a close 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 late July and most hummingbirds will be gone from Utah 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 Utah.
See my article:
11 DIY Ways to Keep Hummingbird Nectar From Freezing
When do Utah hummingbirds leave the state?
Utah 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.
Some Anna’s and Costa’s hummingbirds live in Utah 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 Utah hummingbird to migrate?
It takes a Utah hummingbird about 27 hours of flying at its average migrating flight speed of 30 mph to fly from Utah to the most distant Mexican border 800 miles away.
Hummingbirds migrating to Panama 2,900 miles away, will need to fly 97 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: 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
When should I take down hummingbird feeders in Utah?
Mid-to-late October or after a few weeks without any hummingbird sightings, is the ideal time to remove Utah hummingbird feeders for the winter.
Many Utahans 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.
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
See my article:
Should I Keep My Hummingbird Feeder Out During the Winter?
Most migrating hummingbirds will not spend the winter in Utah and will decide to migrate south for the winter.
Photo by: Andrea Varju
Photo by: Andrea Varju
Where do Utah hummingbirds go in the winter?
Utah’s Black-chinned, Broad-tailed, Rufous, Calliope, Broad-billed, Ruby-throated, and Rivoli’s migrating hummingbirds travel south to over-winter in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.
Some Utah resident hummingbirds, Anna’s and Costa’s hummingbirds, remain in Utah over the winter.
See Utah’s wintering hummingbirds map as reported by ebird.org
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
What are the most common hummingbirds seen in Utah?
The most common hummingbirds seen in Utah are the Black-chinned and Broad-tailed hummingbirds.
These are Utah’s statistics at the end of 2023 as reported by ebird.org
On average, out of 10,000 hummingbird sightings in Utah, 4,877 (49%) will be Black-chinned hummingbirds.
On average, out of 10,000 hummingbird sightings in Utah, 3,190 (32%) will be Broad-tailed hummingbirds.
See my article:
Hummingbirds Found in Utah:
(Pictures and Sounds)
Happy Hummingbird Watching!
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