When to Expect Thousands of Hummingbirds to Reappear in Minnesota

We're ready for summer in Minnesota! And so are plenty of migrating critters, including the ruby-throated hummingbird.

Hummingbirds in Minnesota

The ruby-throated hummingbird is the most common species of hummingbird that we have in Minnesota, but they don't stick around for our cold winters.

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Hummingbirds like the warmth (I don't blame them) so they migrate to Central America during the winter. But around this time of year, they start making their way back to us in Minnesota. It's a sure sign of spring and that summer is on the way!

When We'll See Hummingbirds in Minnesota

We have a little bit to go before we will see the ruby-throated hummingbird in our backyards. At the moment, based on tracking from Hummingbird Central, the furthest north they've been seen is in Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina.

So we have to wait a little while, but typically, according to the Minnesota DNR, we see the ruby-throated hummingbird in Minnesota around the first week of May.

When they arrive, they can be a bit tricky to spot, though. So if you want to attract the ruby-throated hummingbird to your yard, here are some tips from the experts.

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How to Attract the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird to Your Yard

Get a hummingbird feeder! It's that easy. And what you should fill it with is very simple: one part sugar and four parts water, according to Only In Your State.

You should never use things like jelly and never use food coloring either. That's really bad for the little birds, so keep it simple with the water and sugar combination, they'll love it.

They're really smart little birds and are known to come back to the same feeders year after year, so keep putting that feeder out and you may start seeing more and more hummingbirds coming to visit.