When will Rochester see migrating hummingbirds?
Spring is on its way to Rochester which means hummingbirds are, too. After spending their winters in parts of Central America or Mexico, hummingbirds are now beginning to migrate north — and an interactive map will let you track their journey.
Hummingbird Central is going on its 11th year tracking the northward hummingbird migration. Ken Freeman, a Hummingbird Central staff member, says the site relies on “citizen spotters” to report their first hummingbird sightings.
“Last year we received over 12,000 sighting reports from all over the United States and Canada,” Freeman said in an email. “Watching hummingbirds is indeed a popular ‘ hobby’ for many nature lovers.”
So, when should we expect to start seeing these lovely little birds?
When will they arrive?
With the help from “citizen spotters,” the site usually starts tracking the spring hummingbird migration in January and continues the project until around May. The first arrivals of hummingbirds can be spotted as early as February in parts of the southern U.S., while areas in the north, like Rochester, can expect to start seeing them later on in the spring months.
Based on Hummingbird Central’s sighting data from the past five years, Freeman predicts that the bird’s migration will hit the Rochester area around the first two weeks of May. Looking at their 2023 map, some of the earliest sightings around Rochester last year included one on April 19 in Fairport and another on May 1 in Victor, Ontario County.
What species of hummingbirds will we see?
According to Freeman, ruby-throated hummingbird is the only species consistently spotted in New York state. Bird Advisors’s website says these birds are bright green on the back and crown. Males have a gray-to-white underside with an iridescent red throat, while females have a white underside with traces of brown in their crowns and sides.
Though the ruby-throated hummingbirds are the dominant species in New York, there have been exceptions of a few random sightings of other species throughout the years. These other hummingbird species have been spotted in New York:
● Rufous hummingbirds are considered a near-threatened species in New York, according to Bird Advisors. Sightings of these birds are very rare, but they were last spotted here in Baldwinsville in 2021.
● Calliope hummingbirds are considered an accidental species in New York, according to Bird Advisors. Their last sighting was in Water Mill in 2016.
● Anna’s hummingbirds are also considered an accidental species in New York, according to Bird Advisors. They were last spotted in the state in 2017.
● Broad-billed nummingbirds are another accidental species in New York and their sightings are considered very rare, according to Bird Advisors. They were only spotted in Owego, Tioga County, and North Rose, Wayne County, in 2016.
How to attract hummingbirds
If you are interested in attracting more hummingbirds to your homes and gardens this spring, here are a few of Hummingbird Central’s tips and tricks:
● Shelter: Large trees, shrubs and gardens help to provide hummingbirds with not only food but also a sense of protection and a place for resting in between meals.
● Food in nature: The hummingbird’s diet includes nectar from flowers, red flowers being their favorite, and small insects.
● Water: Hummingbirds enjoy shallow bird baths for both drinking and bathing. They tend to especially enjoy water with movement, like a small waterfall.
● Plants and flowers: Some of hummingbirds’ favorite flowers and plants that you can add to your garden include: lantana, zinnias, pentas, salvia, batface cuphea, hot lips, fire bush, nasturtiums and coreopsis.
● Hummingbird feeders: Along with flowers and plants to provide shelter, hummingbird feeders are another great way to attract these little birds to your garden.