When do hummingbirds return to Ohio? Interactive map, when to put out feeders, more

Yahoo

16-04-2025

April is in full swing, which means it's time for spring showers, blooming flowers and beautiful melodies coming from your garden.
That's right, hummingbirds are making their way back to Southern Ohio. These small birds travel thousands of miles each year during spring migration. While en route to their new home, hummingbirds may fly up to 23 miles per day and can go as fast as 60 miles per hour, according to Hummingbird Central.
Here's what you should know about these precious flying jewels.
For the past 10 years, Hummingbird Central has tracked hummingbirds' northward migration. Ken Freeman, a Hummingbird Central staff member, says the site relies on "citizen spotters" to report their first hummingbird sightings.
The project starts in January and continues through May. Reports have already started rolling in from Texas, Florida, Louisiana and California, with the earliest sighting reported on Jan. 26 in Key Largo, Florida.
A male ruby-throated hummingbird was also spotted in Union, Kentucky, roughly 17 miles from Cincinnati, on March 9. A mother ruby-throated hummingbird was spotted March 9 in Saint Marys, West Virginia, near the Ohio River.
AccuWeather shared a map on Facebook showing when different regions of the country can expect to see hummingbirds. According to the map, hummingbirds will arrive in the southern half of the Buckeye State from April 1 to 15, and the northern half from April 15 to 30.
That largely agrees with the dates shown by Hummingbird Central. In 2024, the site's interactive map shows the earliest hummingbird sighting in Otway, Ohio, near Portsmouth, on April 14. Other sightings in the southern portion of the state range from April 15 to 25.
Take a look at the 2025 hummingbird migration map to see when you might spot them in Ohio.
There are two main species of hummingbirds in Ohio, according to Bird Advisors: ruby-throated hummingbirds and rufous hummingbirds. However, a total of seven hummingbirds are recognized in state bird records.
Ruby-throated hummingbirds are a common sight during the summer months. They are bright green on the back and crown, with a gray-white underside. The males also have an iridescent red throat and the females have brownish crowns and sides.
Rufous hummingbirds aren't as common in Ohio, but a few do wander this far north in the winter each year, Bird Advisors says. The males have a bright orange back and belly, a white patch below the throat and iridescent red throats. The females are greenish-brown on the back and rusty colored on the sides with a whitish belly.
Other rare hummingbird species that you may see in Ohio include:
Mexican violetears.
Black-chinned hummingbirds.
Calliope hummingbirds.
Allen's hummingbirds.
Anna's hummingbirds.
Homemade nectar hummingbird feeders, made with one part white sugar and four parts water, can be placed outside before or around the birds' arrival. Bird Feeder Hub recommends Ohioans put hummingbird feeders outside in mid- to late-April, but other birding outlets suggest they can go up even earlier.
Nectar-rich, brightly-colored tubular flowers will attract hummingbirds to your garden, the Old Farmer's Almanac says. Some of these flowering plants include bee balms, columbine flowers, daylilies, lupines and petunias.
To make your garden even more inviting to these tiny birds, the Almanac suggests planting flowers with space in between, which gives hummingbirds room to hover, and providing shaded areas.
Hummingbirds rely on bright colors to find their food and are most attracted to red and orange hues. If you go the homemade nectar route, the Almanac warns not to dye the mixture red, as this could harm the birds. Instead, use a red-colored feeder to attract them.
Their diet typically consists of nectar from flowers and small insects, such as aphids and spiders, per Hummingbird Central.
Hummingbirds' average speed in direct flight ranges between 20 and 30 mph. They can fly up to three times as fast during courtship dives, which males do when attempting to mate with a female.
The American Bird Conservatory writes that many hummingbird species have adapted to urban environments, including the ruby-throated hummingbird. They can be seen nesting in wires, plant hangers and other human-made items.
However, most breeds prefer to seek cover under trees near water. Trees provide shelter for adult hummingbirds and their chicks, while the water keeps the area cool, the site adds. They tend to nest on thinner branches roughly one foot from tree trunks.
In the winter, a majority of hummingbird species fly hundreds or even thousands of miles from the northern United States and Canada down to Mexico or Central America, according to the National Audubon Society. Scientists estimate that the journey takes two to three weeks.
However, there's one species, Anna's hummingbird, that has evolved to withstand the winter.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: When do hummingbirds return to Ohio? Everything to know