The When: Hummingbird Feeding Times
Let’s get straight to the point; here are the feeding guidelines:
When to Put Out The Hummingbird Feeder. Northeastern and Central United States and Canada – April or May; Southeastern United States – January or February; Western United States – April; Southwestern United States – All year.
How Long to Keep Your Feeder Out. Not all hummingbirds migrate. The coast of California, and some of the warmer parts of the country have hummingbirds throughout the year. Some of the migratory hummingbirds migrate to the warmer parts of the U.S. during winter. If you have lots of hummingbirds and feel like feeding them, then do so, just remember to keep your feeders clean.
Winter Feeding in Cold Climates. If you live in a cold climate and continue to feed the hummers, make sure you remove the perches so the hummingbirds keep their metabolism up while feeding (they actually could get too cold and die from feeding while perched in winter). Watch for the departure of the hummingbirds. Leave your Hummingbird feeder up for about 2 weeks after your Hummingbirds have left for the season.
If you would like to track their migration, click on the link below. The site also lists species state-by-state.
http://www.hummingbirds.net/map.html
Misc. Notes. Treats and water. For a special hummingbird treat, try putting out an opened banana on a plate. The fruit should attract fruit flies, and hummingbirds love to eat fruit flies. Also, although Hummingbirds like to bathe, they prefer water dripping off of leaves or spray coming from sprinklers and pond fountains. If you don’t have sprinklers or a pond, try locating one of the many commercial “misters” in a leafy bush or tree.
