When Will Hummingbirds Return to Texas This Year?

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Hummingbirds are amazing creatures. Their wings are in constant motion when flying, allowing them to travel at a speed of 60 miles per hour. They consume almost as much energy while hovering as a helicopter does in flight, and they can fly up, down, and backward. They also migrate large distances, ranging from Alaska to the tip or Argentina, according to Texas Parks & Wildlife, often passing through or resting in Texas on their way north and south. But the timing of when you might see these beautiful and impressive creatures varies.

Most hummers will visit flowering plants and hummingbird feeders for nectar and in March through May, according to the National Audubon Society. Different hummingbird breeds have various migration patterns and may visit states at different times (or skip them altogether!). If you live in Texas, you might see buff-bellied hummingbirds, lucifer hummingbirds, or other species of this fascinating bird, showing up at different times of year. Most hummingbirds will pass through in the spring, though, so if you want to catch a peek, now is a good time to do so!  

What Hummingbirds Migrate Through Texas?

Buff-bellied hummingbirds are one of the most common hummingbirds as they have one of the largest presences in the U.S. They pass through Texas from March through August.

Named for its striking blue throat, the blue-throated hummingbird has been seen in Texas from March through October.

The Rivoli’s hummingbird (sometimes known magnificent hummingbird) has been seen in Texas from mid-March until October, as they breed in the mountains of Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico, and return to Mexico and Central America in the winter.  

Sticking around for almost an entire year, the lucifer hummingbird can be found in Texas from March through November.

The ruby-throated hummingbirds (marked by their red neck) arrive in Texas sometime between mid-March and mid-May on their way to spend the summer in Canada. Occasionally, they might fly back through Texas in late July to September on their way back to winter in the Caribbean.  

Find the black-chinned hummingbird in Texas sometime between mid-March to early May to breed, and they will stay until mid-July through mid-October.

The broad-tailed hummingbird passes through Texas sometime between mid-March to the end of May, returning through Texas sometime between July and November.

Since the rufous hummingbird doesn’t typically come through Texas until mid-July-October, if you do see some in the spring, it could mean they have wintered here and are now on their way to north to the Pacific Coast.

If you want to learn more, the National Audubon Society has an interactive Bird Migration Explorer where you can search for the type of bird and see their migration patterns throughout the year.

Attract Hummingbirds With Sweet Sugar Water

Hummingbirds have a lot of energy, which is why they feed every 10-15 minutes and visit 1,000-2,000 flowers per day. So, if you’re hoping to see one, offering sustenance is a good way to go about it.

The National Audubon Society recommends filling hummingbird feeders with sweet nectar that you can make at home. Mix ¼ cup refined white sugar with 1 cup of boiling water until sugar is dissolved. Once cooled, fill a feeder and watch for hummingbirds. Never substitute the sugar for honey, which could promote dangerous fungal growth, or add red food coloring, which could be harmful to birds.

And be sure to wash your feeder often to keep the birds safe.

Where to Put Hummingbird Feeders

For the safety of hummers (and truly all birds), Humane World for Animals recommends putting feeders safe from predators, including free-roaming cats, and hanging them about 12 feet from a brush pile, evergreen tree, or bush. “Birds can quickly fly the 12 feet to reach safe cover, yet predators cannot use it to hide within striking range of the feeder,” they noted.

You can also arrange chicken wire or thorny branches around feeders on the ground to deter other wildlife from getting too close.

Be wary of windows as well. The Humane World recommends placing feeders either 30 feet away from a reflective window or closer than three feet (the latter will prevent a bird from building up momentum when they get close to the feeder). Window paint and/or decals will help deter birds as well.

According to Texas Parks & Wildlife, you can leave your feeders up year-round to see hummers going on a fall or winter migration, or you can put them up in March and take them down about two weeks after you’ve seen the last hummingbird.

Other Ways to Attract Hummingbirds

We may have good intentions of wanting hummingbirds to visit our yards, but humans can do more harm than good if we aren’t careful with our hummingbird feeders.

According to the Humane World for Animals, humans can harm hummingbirds by putting harmful ingredients in their feeders like honey or brown sugar, letting their feeders get contaminated, and providing too much sugar water when hummingbirds also need insects and spiders to survive. The organization recommends planting natural food sources like flowers and native species that attract insects.

“Feeders where birds congregate can harbor pathogens, but plants aren’t likely to be disease hotbeds,” the organization stated.

The National Audubon Society recommends growing native plants in your background, which will provide both food and shelter. This is an especially great idea in southern states like Texas, where hummingbirds are more likely to visit year-round. In Texas, Audubon suggests planting the Texas Indian paintbrush or orange honeysuckle for hummingbirds, and you can also find more specific native plant recommendations on their Plants for Birds Database.

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