Asked on Feb 17, 2014

When to put out hummingbird feeders in Houston, TX?

Amy
by Amy
I know there are a ton of hummers come September down here - just wondering when is the best to to put them up to catch the early birds (or late arrivals?) THANKS!@4 results are available, use up and down arrow keys to navigate.:)
  4 answers
  • Douglas Hunt Douglas Hunt on Feb 18, 2014
    Houston attorney Donald Ray Burger has chronicled the comings and goings of hummingbirds for more than 15 years. He says, "Generally, one can expect hummingbirds to come through Houston on their spring migration around the first week of April. In my experience they do not stay long on this northerly migration. Hummers return to Houston on their southern migration sometime in August or September. To be safe, have your fall feeders out by the first of August. In the fall they usually stay for well over a month." His full report is here: http://www.burger.com/hbdates.htm The Houston Audubon Society says there are some species of hummers that spend the winter in your area so there is no need to take down a feeder, and in fact, hummers depend on them more in the winter than they do in the summer. Their suggestions are here: http://www.houstonaudubon.org/default.aspx?act=Newsletter.aspx&category=Fact%20Sheets&newsletterid=47&menugroup=Reference
    • Bill Armstrong Bill Armstrong on Nov 01, 2020

      Thanks for the information. I live on the westside of Houston on Buffalo Bayou between Eldridge and Highway 6. The majority of the hummingbirds using my feeders left during October, but at least two birds are still using my feeders today, November 1st. Are these birds just delaying their departure or are they going to winter in Huouston?

      Thanks,

      Bill Armstrong

      bill.armstrong@geostocksandia.com

  • Dalyce Stevens Olds Dalyce Stevens Olds on Jan 11, 2016
    I live in southern Arizona and I leave my hummingbird feeders out year-round. I always see hummingbirds feeding from them so I never take them down.
    • See 1 previous
    • Bruce Jones Bruce Jones on Mar 23, 2018

      We lived on an acre in the County isand of Peoria near 91st Ave & Pinnacle Peak and we also left our feeders out (and full) year round - yes, they came year round. We even had one for about a year that would come to our diningroom window and idle there. It would also greet us as we walked out the back door qnd get with 3 - 4" from our faces and just hang yjere for a minute or two. We loved them in AZ and now that we are in TX put feeders out the end of March and again the end of July, so we get them coming and going back South.

  • I have 5 hummingbird feeders out year round. Being in Texas, you might too. Once they find a good feeding spot, they just may hang around and be a nice bed and breakfast for those flying further north. I also have 6 seed feeders and keep them in separate parts of my yard and also have a sole seed and hummingbird feeder for the timid or young ones that are afraid of the crowds.