23-04-2025
Spring's annual hummingbird migration is reaching Michigan. Where the tiny birds are now
The annual migration of hummingbirds has reached Michigan, according to bird spotters in the Midwest.
The most common Michigan hummingbird, the ruby throat hummingbird, has been spotted in Michigan's Lower Peninsula.
"Research indicates a hummingbird can travel as much as 23 miles in one day. However, during migration as they cross the Gulf of Mexico they may cover up to 500 miles at a time. Their average speed in direct flight is in the range of 20-30mph, and up to three times that fast during courtship dives," Hummingbird Central's website says about the migration.
The spring 2025 hummingbird migration season has been tracked northward by Hummingbird Central's digital map.
Here's what to know.
Ruby throated hummingbirds have been spotted arriving north in Michigan for the season, in the southern part of the state's Lower Peninsula, Hummingbird Central's 2025 Hummingbird Spring Migration Map shows. The map is updated as of April 22, 2025.
Hummingbirds are tiny birds with long bills and small wings, the Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute explained. Hummingbirds have various colored feathers, with male birds typically featuring brighter colors.
More: A 17-year cicada brood is set to emerge. Will Michigan hear the big-eyed insects?
Hummingbirds typically migrate north in the late winter and spring after spending their winters in parts of Central America or Mexico, Hummingbird Central said.
According to there are six different hummingbird species you may spot in Michigan, although most are rare visitors.
More: Want to encourage pollinators to visit your garden? How you can attract Michigan's bees
The most common is the ruby throated hummingbird. Named for the iridescent orange-red throat patch of the male. Females are white-throated. Both sexes exhibit a metallic-green hue on the upperparts and pale-gray, faintly scalloped underparts. Males are slightly smaller than females and have forked black tales.
Rufous hummingbirds generally live west of the Rocky Mountains, but sometimes are seen in Michigan.
Anna's hummingbird is a stocky little hummingbird with green and gray-brown plumage. The male has a bright-pink iridescent head and throat. Its call is scratchy and metallic-sounding.
White-eared hummingbird is named for the white stripe that extends over the ears towards the neck on either side.
Broad-billed hummingbird is named for its broad bill. It is similar in appearance to the white-eared hummingbird. Males are bright green, with a blue throat patch and a black-tipped red bill. Females are lime-green above and gray-brown below with a white eye stripe.
Mexican Violetear. They are uncommon visitors to the southern United States. Vagrants make rare appearances across the continent, as far north as Canada, and have been occasionally spotted in Michigan.
Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Spring's hummingbird migration reaches Michigan. Where to find them
