Hummingbird Migration in North Dakota: 2026 Timing

Q: When do hummingbirds leave North Dakota?

Adult males start south around August 5; the main departure wave passes about August 25, and the last stragglers — usually juveniles — trickle through until September 15.

Q: When should I take my hummingbird feeders down in North Dakota?

Around September 30 — roughly two weeks after the typical last sighting. Leaving feeders up does NOT stop birds from migrating (day length triggers migration, not food); a late feeder only helps stragglers refuel.

Q: When do hummingbirds arrive in North Dakota?

First males typically show up around May 10, with most feeders active by May 22. Put feeders out a week or two before the first typical arrival — early birds arrive hungry.

Q: What hummingbird species live in North Dakota?

Ruby-throated Hummingbird (breeding, mid-May–early September).

Q: What is the correct hummingbird nectar recipe?

One part plain white sugar to four parts water. No red dye (unnecessary and possibly harmful), no honey (ferments into toxins), no sugar substitutes. Change nectar every 2–3 days in warm weather, every 4–5 in cool weather, and rinse the feeder with hot water each refill.

Q: Why did my hummingbirds suddenly disappear in midsummer?

Almost always nesting, not leaving. Females go quiet while incubating and switch to insects for protein; males guard flower territories away from feeders. Traffic typically roars back in late summer when fledged juveniles and early migrants arrive together.

Arrivals ~May 10 · peak departure ~August 25 · feeders down ~September 30.

Season complete — next arrivals ~May 10

First arrivals

May 10

Peak departure

Aug 25

Feeders down

Sep 30

The North Dakota hummingbird season at a glance

Live · updates daily

Today

Typical hummingbird season in North Dakota, first arrival to last straggler. Individual years shift ±1–2 weeks with weather.

May 10

First males

feeders busy by May 22

August 5

Males depart

adults leave first

August 25

Main wave south

September 15

Last stragglers

feeders down September 30

North Dakota's window is the country's shortest for ruby-throats — under 100 days between reliable first and last sightings in the Turtle Mountains.

Your dates

Hummingbird dates for your exact ZIP

The dates above are for North Dakota as a whole. Enter a ZIP code for the arrival, departure and feeder dates at that location:

The season, phase by phase

How the North Dakota season unfolds

Arrival · May 10 males first

Adult males arrive ahead of females to claim territory. Have feeders out 1–2 weeks before May 10 — the earliest birds arrive depleted, and a ready feeder can anchor them to your yard for the season.

Nesting · May 22 onward quiet weeks

Feeder traffic often dips while females nest — they're eating small insects for protein and staying close to the nest. The birds haven't left; they're busy. Keep nectar fresh through the lull.

The rush · August 5–August 25 peak chaos

The best feeder weeks of the year: local families plus southbound migrants stack up together, all trying to double their body weight for the trip. A busy yard can drain a feeder daily. Adult males slip out first.

Last calls · through September 15 stragglers

Juveniles and late movers trickle through until September 15. Leave feeders up until September 30 — about two weeks past the typical last bird — as a refueling stop for stragglers.

Female calliope hummingbird feeding two chicks in a lichen-covered nest — The midsummer "disappearance," explained: a walnut-sized nest, two chicks, and a female hunting insects instead of visiting your feeder.

Who you’re watching

Hummingbird species in North Dakota

Species	Status in North Dakota
Ruby-throated Hummingbird	breeding, mid-May–early September

East of the Great Plains, the ruby-throated hummingbird carries the entire show — the only breeding hummingbird in the eastern US, wintering in Mexico and Central America, with many crossing the Gulf of Mexico in a single 18–22 hour nonstop flight.

Ruby-throated hummingbird feeding at common milkweed — A ruby-throated hummingbird refuels — the species that carries the entire eastern migration on its back.

Feeder protocol

Feeding North Dakota’s hummingbirds, done right

The only recipe

1 part white sugar : 4 parts water. Nothing else — no red dye, no honey (it ferments into toxins), no substitutes. Red on the feeder does the attracting.

Keep it clean

Change nectar every 2–3 days in warm weather and rinse with hot water each refill. Cloudy nectar or black mold can be lethal — when in doubt, dump it.

The calendar

Hang feeders around April 28 (about two weeks before first arrivals); take them down around September 30. Migration runs on day length, so a feeder never delays a bird.

Hummingbird drinking at a glass bottle feeder against an open sky — Any feeder works if the nectar is fresh — the 1:4 sugar-water inside matters infinitely more than the hardware around it.

Derived from North Dakota’s dates

Your North Dakota feeder calendar

Every date below is computed from North Dakota’s own arrival and departure anchors — no generic advice, these are your dates:

Feeder task	Typical North Dakota date	Why then
Hang feeders	April 28	~2 weeks before first arrivals (May 10) — early males arrive depleted
Expect the nesting lull	May 22 onward	Females switch to insects; traffic dips but the birds haven’t left
Add a second feeder	July 22	~2 weeks before departures begin — migrants stack on top of locals
Peak nectar demand	August 5 – August 25	Birds double body weight for the trip; busy yards drain a feeder daily
Take feeders down	September 30	~2 weeks after the last stragglers (September 15)

Beyond the feeder

Plant a yard in North Dakota they’ll fight over

Feeders are the appetizer; flowers and the small insects they attract are the meal. These eastern natives carry a yard through the August 5–September 15 migration crush:

Jewelweed (the #1 wild migration fuel)
Cardinal flower
Bee balm (Monarda)
Trumpet honeysuckle
Salvia — annual and perennial

Wild bergamot (bee balm) blooming at a meadow edge — Wild bergamot — the native bee balm. One established patch outdraws any feeder in North Dakota by midsummer.

Skip pesticides where you can — hummingbirds feed heavily on gnats, fruit flies, and spiders, especially females raising young.

Common questions

North Dakota hummingbird FAQ

When do hummingbirds leave North Dakota?

When should I take my hummingbird feeders down in North Dakota?

When do hummingbirds arrive in North Dakota?

What hummingbird species live in North Dakota?

What is the correct hummingbird nectar recipe?

Why did my hummingbirds suddenly disappear in midsummer?

Trumpet creeper blossoms — tubular flowers shaped for hummingbird bills — Tubular flowers like trumpet creeper co-evolved with hummingbird bills — plant one this fall and next season’s birds will find it.

Keep planning

The rest of your backyard season

North Dakota fall foliagePeak color September 22–October 5 — right as the birds head south.North Dakota first frostTypically September 22 — the freeze that ends nectar season.North Dakota mosquito forecastWhat else is flying in your yard — and when it finally stops.

More Midwest hummingbird timing

Windows compiled from Journey North citizen-science records, eBird seasonal abundance, and Audubon/USFWS range data; individual years shift ±1–2 weeks with weather. National picture: where the birds are right now →