5 Secret Hot Spots for Hummingbirds
See up to 17 hummingbird species at these hidden gems.
1 DESERT NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
While the Mojave Desert is certainly hot, it’s also an extraordinary spot for hummingbirds. This 1.6-million-acre wildlife refuge, the largest outside of Alaska, attracts 320 species of birds, including a number of hummingbird species—more than any other birding destination in Nevada.
Watch for: Costa’s hummingbirds, which thrive in arid climates, nest in the refuge during late winter and early spring. Black-chinned and Anna’s hummingbirds also flit among the sagebrush and wetland habitats at the refuge.
Do it: Birders flock to the Corn Creek visitor center, where the vegetation attracts many migrant and vagrant hummingbirds. Several trails begin here, some accessible to all, for the best hummingbird-watching.
2 BANDELIER NATIONAL MONUMENT
LOS ALAMOS, NEW MEXICO
The Ancestral Pueblo people lived on the Pajarito Plateau in northern New Mexico until the mid-1500s, carving their homes into the volcanic tuff and farming atop the mesas in what is now Bandelier National Monument, a 33,000-acre park. It’s a favorite destination among birders aiming to see not only hummingbirds but a wide diversity of birds more typical of western mountains, canyons and grasslands.
Watch for: Broad-tailed and blackchinned hummingbirds raise families in Bandelier National Monument. Calliope and rufous hummingbirds flit among the monument’s cliffs, valleys and streams.
Do it: Celebrate the Year of the Bird, which honors the 100-year anniversary of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, at the park. Naturalists will focus on a different bird each month, including broad-tailed hummingbirds in April.
3 DAVIS MOUNTAINS STATE PARK
FORT DAVIS, TEXAS
Located in westernmost Texas, the Davis Mountains are hummingbird heaven from July to October. With high elevation (5,000 feet) and levels of precipitation, the range is one of the Southwest’s sky island environments, making it a mecca for birds and other wildlife. Most hummingbird species in the U.S. have been spotted here.
Watch for: Broad-tailed, blackchinned and rufous hummingbirds are common, but don’t be surprised if lucifer, ruby-throated or calliope hummers whiz by. Ornithologists found the first-ever amethyst-throated hummingbird in the U.S. here. Nearby Mcdonald Observatory and the Nature Conservancy Davis Mountains Preserve maintain bird-viewing stations.
Do it: During the annual Davis Mountains Hummingbird Celebration, Aug. 23-26, designated viewing spots in the park and in adjacent sanctuaries put you at the hummingbird hub, even on rainy days. Or join a workshop on how to garden for or properly feed these feisty sky-fairies.
4 RAMSEY CANYON PRESERVE
HEREFORD, ARIZONA
The Huachuca Mountains, home to Ramsey Canyon Preserve, rise from the desert of southeastern Arizona and catch cooler air that creates both arid and subtropical microclimates in close proximity. As a result, the preserve is remarkably biodiverse, playing host to numerous hummingbird species.
Watch for: Ramsey Canyon attracts 15 species of hummingbirds, some of which only migrate this far north. It’s a known hot spot for violet-crowned and berylline hummingbirds.
Do it: The Nature Conservancy offers guided walks from March through November, with April through September being the best time for bird-watching.
5 CABRILLO NATIONAL MONUMENT
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
Cabrillo National Monument, a seaside preserve surrounded by urban sprawl, is an oasis for birds and other marine and terrestrial wildlife. The monument has both residential and migratory hummingbirds.
Watch for: During mating season, male Anna’s hummingbirds perform aerial acrobatics to attract a mate. Numerous coastal species winter here or migrate through, including Allen’s, rufous, black-chinned and Costa’s hummingbirds. In April, watch Calliope hummingbirds gather around the blooming bottlebrush trees.
Do it: Rangers offer guided tours and other activities daily. In addition to birding, they’ll help you explore the tidal pools and watch for whales. Kids can pick up a Junior Ranger activity book at the visitor center to record the hummingbirds they see along the 2½-mile Bayside Trail and elsewhere in the park.