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Nine common questions about the migration of Maryland hummingbirds are discussed in this article.
There are Seven Hummingbirds Documented as Maryland Hummingbirds.
Listed In The Order Of Frequency Seen:
| Hummingbirds: | Number seen: | Documented: | % seen: |
| Ruby-throated | 93,046 | Documented | 98.73% |
| Rufous | 857 | Documented | 0.91% |
| Calliope | 212 | Documented | 0.22% |
| Black-chinned | 76 | Documented | 0.08% |
| Allen’s | 25 | Documented | 0.03% |
| Mexican Violetear | 24 | Documented | 0.03% |
| Anna’s | 4 | Documented | 0.00% |
| Total seen: | 94,247 |
Click “Documented” link above to see current Maryland stats.
Photo by: mz13hummingbirds
When Do Maryland Hummingbirds Arrive?
The earliest arrivals of Maryland hummingbirds are seen in early April, and new arrivals continue through June.
Most migrating Maryland hummingbirds will arrive in May.
Maryland hummingbirds begin their spring migration north from as far away as Panama or as close as Mexico.
Maryland hummingbirds arrive in Maryland as early as April, while some late migrators may arrive as late as June. but by the end of June, all hummingbirds that are migrating further than Maryland are gone from Maryland.
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.
Ruby-throated hummingbirds are by far the most commonly seen Maryland hummingbirds, and they will probably be the first migrating hummingbirds to be seen in Maryland.
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
According to the Missouri Department Of Conservation, if Maryland hummingbird enthusiasts start feeding them when they arrive, there is less chance they will move on and will decide to spend the summer in Maryland.
Maryland hummingbirds starting their spring migration north from Panama City, Panama need to fly overland 4,266 miles to reach Baltimore, or 2,094 miles if they fly across the Gulf of Mexico.
Maryland hummingbirds, starting their journey north from Mexico at the United States’ southernmost border at Brownsville, Texas, need to fly 1,522 miles to reach Baltimore.
Are There Maryland Hummingbirds That Live in the State Year-round?
There are no hummingbird species that live in Maryland year-round; however, although rare, the Rufous hummingbird is documented as seen in the middle of winter.
The general public is unaware of how cold-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.
Which Maryland Hummingbirds Breed and Nest in the State?
The Ruby-throated hummingbird is the only hummingbird that breeds and nests in Maryland.
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.
Photo by: Anna Townsend
Taken: Etowah County, AL
The entire reason for northern migration, much like salmon swimming upstream to their place of birth to lay eggs, is for female hummingbirds to return to the area where they were born to build a nest, mate, and raise a family.
When a female hummingbird arrives at the breeding grounds, her attention shifts to building a nest and then looking for a mate.
Hummingbird females prefer to build their nests in deciduous trees, 10 to 20 feet above the ground.
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.
Read my article: Hummingbird Parents: (Mating to Nesting)
Read my article: Baby Hummingbirds: (Egg to Fledgling)
Photo by: Aaron Gomperts
Each species of male hummingbird 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.
Read my article: Hummingbird Dance: 5 Interpretive Explanations
During the mating ritual, there is no penetration since male hummingbirds lack external sexual organs.
The “Cloacal Kiss” occurs when the cloacae, (pronounced “kloh-ay-see”), of both hummingbirds are brought together during the brief mating procedure, which lasts only three to five seconds.
After the Cloacal Kiss, the female must begin building the nest immediately.
Each brood of hummingbirds typically produces two eggs, laid on consecutive days.
The majority of hummingbirds have two broods annually, although some may have more depending on the timing of their migration and the duration of the days they spend in their breeding areas.
Maryland nesting hummingbirds usually have two broods per year, but some may have time to work in a third brood.
When Should I Put Up My Feeders For Maryland Hummingbirds?
Maryland hummingbird enthusiasts should put out hummingbird feeders at the beginning of April to attract the very earliest migrating hummingbirds.
The majority of Maryland migrating hummingbirds will arrive in May and continue to arrive into June.
If migrating hummingbirds are fed when they start to arrive, there is less chance of them moving on.
Hummingbird aficionados will reduce the likelihood of hummingbirds leaving and electing to spend the summer in that state by providing food for them as soon as they arrive, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Approximately one week after the arrival of the male hummingbirds, the females will follow.
Other Maryland hummingbirds will continue to arrive until about mid-June.
Hummingbirds seen in Maryland after mid-June will be hummingbirds that will spend their entire summer in Maryland.
Make sure to use high-quality nectar solutions in your hummingbird feeders; homemade nectar works best.
Read my article: Forget Commercial Hummingbird Food, Try Making Homemade Nectar
Read my article: The One Thing You Need to Eliminate From a Hummingbird’s Diet
How Long Do Maryland Hummingbirds Stay in the State?
Maryland hummingbirds stay in the state for at least seven months.
They will start arriving as early as the beginning of April and most will be gone by late October.
Some Rufous are seen in Maryland during winter, but most migrate south for the winter.
No hummingbird species live in Maryland year-round.
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.
Photo by: Andrea Varju
Some migrating seasonal hummingbirds choosing to over-winter in Maryland, and those too old or injured to migrate, will be the only likely hummingbirds Maryland hummingbird enthusiasts will see during the winter.
The extremely cold-tolerant Rufous hummingbird is the most probable migratory hummingbird to decide to spend the winter in Maryland.
In Pennsylvania, a state known for its cold, harsh winters, the Valley Forge Audubon Society reports winter sightings of Allen’s, Calliope, Rufous, and Black-chinned hummingbirds.
Because hummingbirds have such long memories, they will revisit the flowers and feeders they frequented during their spring migration and will remember them when they migrate back to the south in the fall.
Read my article: Hummingbird Adaptation and Remarkable Ability to Locate Food
The most common Maryland hummingbird seen during the hot summer months will be the Ruby-throated hummingbird, with the Rufous hummingbird being a distant second.
Finding strategies to provide your hummingbirds with cool nectar might be crucial when the summer heat becomes unpleasant and tough to handle.
Read my article: How to Help Hummingbirds in Hot Weather
When Do Maryland Hummingbirds Leave the State?
Maryland hummingbirds begin leaving the state as early as the end of August, and by late October they have migrated to their over-wintering areas in Mexico and Central America.
No hummingbirds live in Maryland year-round.
Most of Maryland’s migrating hummingbirds are gone by the end of October but a few stragglers might stay until the end of the year.
A few older hummingbirds will be the first to start the fall migration, as early as late August, depending on their strength and energy, with the youngest hummingbirds finishing the fall migration by late October.
An article from the University of Southern Mississippi states that the hummingbirds that are the oldest will begin their migration earlier than the others.
This elongated migration time frame ensures late straggling migrants have enough food available to fuel their bodies before making the long taxing migration south for the winter.
Some migrating hummingbirds Maryland will possibly see during the winter are migrating hummingbirds that are too old or injured to migrate.
The circannual (annual internal clock) and circadian (day internal clock) rhythms cause hummingbird migration.
The inclination of a single hummingbird to migrate is triggered by a variety of circumstances, including variations in temperature, time of year, and weather; other causes include a loss in food supplies and a reduction in sunshine due to shortened days.
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 My Feeders For Maryland Hummingbirds?
Mid-to-late October, or after a few weeks without any hummingbird sightings, is the ideal time to remove Maryland hummingbird feeders for the winter.
Feeders are left up all winter by some Marylanders to feed the uncommon winter hummingbirds and those 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.
The challenge then becomes preventing the nectar from hummingbirds from freezing.
Read my article: 11 DIY Ways To Keep Hummingbird Nectar From Freezing
Investing in a hummingbird feeder warmer, like the Hummer Health feeder heater, is one approach to preventing hummingbird nectar from freezing.
Unfortunately, it is only compatible with a select few types of hummingbird feeders, like the Aspect’s HummZinger feeder.
The Rufous hummingbird is Maryland’s most likely uncommon winter visitor, and depends on the nectar that some hummingbird fans leave out all winter long.
Most Allen’s, Anna’s, Black-chinned, Calliope, Mexican violetear, and Ruby-throated hummingbirds will not spend the winter in Maryland and will decide to migrate south to Mexico for the winter.
Keeping hummingbird feeders up during the winter is a noble gesture that helps other migrating species that are injured or too old to migrate by providing them with nectar.
Read my article: 11 DIY Ways to Keep Hummingbird Nectar From Freezing
Read my article: Should I Keep My Hummingbird Feeder Out During the Winter?
Hummingbird enthusiasts who leave hummingbird feeders up all winter provide much-welcome nutrition for late migrators and hummingbirds too old or injured to migrate.
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.
Read my article: 3 Reasons Why Hummingbirds Are Banded
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.
Read my article: 11 DIY Ways to Keep Hummingbird Nectar From Freezing
How Long Does It Take a Maryland Hummingbird to Migrate?
Maryland hummingbirds require 51 hours of flying at an average flight speed of 30mph to fly from Baltimore to the most distant Mexican border 1,522 miles away.
Hummingbirds migrating from Baltimore to Panama, 2,094 miles across the Gulf of Mexico or 4,266 over land, will need to fly 70 hours or 142 hours, respectively.
Some fly at a relaxed distance as slow as 1 hour per day, while others fly up to 500 miles non-stop in about 20 hours, as some do while migrating across the Gulf of Mexico.
Unlike other migrating birds, hummingbirds do not travel in flocks.
Individual hummingbirds travel according to their own internal clock.
This staggered migration pattern ensures resources are not consumed and depleted all at once.
Hummingbirds regularly acquire between 25% and 50% of their body weight as migration draws near, by eating more nectar from feeders and blooming plants and by collecting more insects in midair for protein.
This rise in body fat provides the hummingbird with energy for its protracted migration flight.
Expect to see an increased volume of southern migrating hummingbird visitors to your feeders in Maryland during this fall migration from August through October.
Hummingbirds that stopped by your feeders in the spring will remember exactly where it is, and they will probably stop by again en route to their overwintering grounds in Mexico and Central America.
See my article: Hummingbird Adaptation and Remarkable Ability to Locate Food
Where Do Maryland Hummingbirds Go in the Winter?
Maryland Ruby-throated, Rufous, Allen’s, Calliope, Black-chinned, and Mexican violetear hummingbirds travel south to overwinter in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama.
Anna’s winter is in upper Mexico and California.
Ruby-throated – The Ruby-throated hummingbird overwinters primarily in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. Ruby-throated hummingbirds 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. Rufous hummingbirds are seen in some years, during the winter months, in scattered areas throughout the USA including New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota.
Photo by: Kevin Walsh
Allen’s – The Allen’s hummingbird overwinters primarily in Southern California. The Allen’s hummingbirds are seen in some years, during winter months, in scattered areas throughout the USA including Texas, Tennessee, and as far north as Maryland, New York, and Wisconsin.
Calliope – The Calliope hummingbird overwinters primarily on the west coast of Mexico. Calliope hummingbirds are seen in some years, during the winter months, in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York.
Photo by: sony_alpha_male
Photo by: Bob Free
Black-chinned – The Black-chinned hummingbird overwinters primarily in Mexico. Black-chinned hummingbirds are seen in some years, during the winter months, in scattered areas throughout the USA, including Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, Arkansas, North Carolina, and as far north as Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Photo by: bird.whisperer
Mexican Violetear – The Mexican violetear hummingbird overwinters primarily in Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. Mexican violetear hummingbirds are seen in some years, during the winter months, in scattered areas throughout the USA, including Arizona, Texas, and Louisiana.
Anna’s – The Anna’s hummingbird overwinters primarily in southern California and the upper parts of Baja and Mexico. Anna’s hummingbirds are seen in some years, during the winter months, in scattered areas throughout the USA, including Texas, Missouri, Illinois (Chicago area), Maryland, Utah, and Idaho.
Photo by: Kevin Walsh
Every hummingbird has an exceptional memory. Throughout their spring migration, they can recall every flower or feeder they visited, and they will revisit those spots every year.
Hummingbirds have been seen to return to a feeder even after it has been removed for a few years.
See my article: Hummingbird Adaptation and Remarkable Ability to Locate Food
Check out my other posts on Hummingbird Questions
Happy Hummingbird Watching!
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