January
Activity
Off-season (or rare visitors)
What to Do
Clean and store most feeders; keep 1–2 up for winter visitors
Hummingbird Seasonal Calendar
Month-by-month guide to activity, feeding, and maintenance in the Southeast US.
Low Activity
Moderate
High Activity
Peak Season
February
Activity
Early scouts arrive (South FL/GA)
What to Do
Mid-month: Clean feeders, prepare nectar, put out 1–2 feeders
March
Activity
Migration begins
What to Do
Week 1: Feeders up (Central FL, Coastal GA/SC). Week 2–3: Feeders up (North FL, Piedmont). Watch for first arrivals!
April
Activity
Main arrival
What to Do
Increase to 3–4 feeders; clean every 3–4 days; plant native flowers
May
Activity
Breeding season begins
What to Do
Full complement of feeders; watch for nesting behavior; increase cleaning frequency as temps rise
June
Activity
Peak breeding
What to Do
Clean every 2–3 days; watch for fledglings; deadhead flowers
July
Activity
Peak activity
What to Do
Highest feeder traffic; juveniles appear; clean every 2 days in heat
August
Activity
Early fall migration begins
What to Do
Maintain high feeder count; migrating birds passing through
September
Activity
Peak fall migration
What to Do
Most important month—may see 25–40 birds at once; don’t reduce feeders
October
Activity
Late migration
What to Do
Keep feeders up through month; stragglers still passing; rare western species may appear
November
Activity
Post-migration
What to Do
Reduce to 1–2 feeders; watch for winter Rufous and other rarities
December
Activity
Winter
What to Do
Maintain 1–2 feeders (especially coastal areas); rare visitors possible
Myth Buster
"Taking feeders down makes hummingbirds migrate"
FALSE
This is one of the most persistent myths in backyard birding. Hummingbird migration is triggered by changes in daylight length (photoperiod), not by food availability. Birds have an internal biological clock that tells them when to migrate, regardless of how many feeders are available.
Removing feeders early can actually harm late-migrating or struggling birds that depend on reliable food sources during their exhausting journey south. A hummingbird that is still visiting your feeder in late October is not "confused" — it is fueling up for a long flight and needs every calorie it can get.
When to Take Feeders Down
The general rule of thumb: keep your feeders up for at least two weeks after your last hummingbird sighting. This ensures any late stragglers, including rare western species like Rufous Hummingbirds that increasingly winter in the Southeast, have a food source.
In coastal Georgia, Florida, and southern South Carolina, consider leaving one or two feeders up all winter. Overwintering hummingbirds are reported every year, and your feeder could be a lifeline during cold snaps.