Hummingbird Migration in Washington: 2026 Timing

Q: When do hummingbirds leave Washington?

Adult males start south around July 15; the main departure wave passes about August 20, and the last stragglers — usually juveniles — trickle through until September 25. Some western species winter here, so a late hummingbird isn't necessarily lost.

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

Don't take them down — Washington hosts hummingbirds in winter. Keep at least one feeder clean and full year-round, and you may host a rare western species in December.

Q: When do hummingbirds arrive in Washington?

First males typically show up around February 25, with most feeders active by March 25. Put feeders out a week or two before the first typical arrival — early birds arrive hungry.

Q: What hummingbird species live in Washington?

Anna's Hummingbird (year-round, Puget lowlands); Rufous Hummingbird (breeding, March–September); Calliope & Black-chinned (east-side breeders).

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 ~February 25 · peak departure ~August 20 · keep feeders up all winter — winter hummingbird state.

Migration is over — but winter hummingbirds occur here. Keep a feeder up.

First arrivals

Feb 25

Peak departure

Aug 20

Feeders down

Keep up

The Washington hummingbird season at a glance

Live · updates daily

Today

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

February 25

First males

feeders busy by March 25

July 15

Males depart

adults leave first

August 20

Main wave south

September 25

Last stragglers

keep feeders up all winter

Seattle's Anna's hummingbirds tough out ice storms at heated feeders — a 21st-century range expansion powered partly by backyard nectar.

Your dates

Hummingbird dates for your exact ZIP

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

The season, phase by phase

How the Washington season unfolds

Arrival · February 25 males first

Adult males arrive ahead of females to claim territory. Have feeders out 1–2 weeks before February 25 — the earliest birds arrive depleted, and a ready feeder can anchor them to your yard for the season.

Nesting · March 25 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 · July 15–August 20 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 25 stragglers

Migrants taper off, but this is a winter-hummingbird state: keep at least one feeder clean and full all winter and you may host a rare western species in December.

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 Washington

Species	Status in Washington
Anna's Hummingbird	year-round, Puget lowlands
Rufous Hummingbird	breeding, March–September
Calliope & Black-chinned	east-side breeders

The West runs a relay of species rather than a single act — resident breeders hold territories while rufous and calliope migrants pour through on the Rocky Mountain corridor in late summer, briefly stacking three or four species at one feeder.

Male Anna's hummingbird perched at a feeder, rose-pink gorget catching the light — Anna's hummingbird — the Pacific Coast resident that skips migration entirely and holds a feeder territory all winter.

Feeder protocol

Feeding Washington’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 February 13 (about two weeks before first arrivals); leave at least one up all winter. 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 Washington’s dates

Your Washington feeder calendar

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

Feeder task	Typical Washington date	Why then
Hang feeders	February 13	~2 weeks before first arrivals (February 25) — early males arrive depleted
Expect the nesting lull	March 25 onward	Females switch to insects; traffic dips but the birds haven’t left
Add a second feeder	July 1	~2 weeks before departures begin — migrants stack on top of locals
Peak nectar demand	July 15 – August 20	Birds double body weight for the trip; busy yards drain a feeder daily
Winter protocol	Never	Winter hummingbird state — one clean, full feeder year-round

Beyond the feeder

Plant a yard in Washington they’ll fight over

Feeders are the appetizer; flowers and the small insects they attract are the meal. These western natives carry a yard through the July 15–September 25 migration crush:

Penstemon (beardtongue)
Salvia and autumn sage
Scarlet gilia
Agastache (hummingbird mint)
Desert willow / ocotillo (Southwest)

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

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

Common questions

Washington hummingbird FAQ

When do hummingbirds leave Washington?

When should I take my hummingbird feeders down in Washington?

When do hummingbirds arrive in Washington?

What hummingbird species live in Washington?

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

Washington fall foliagePeak color October 10–October 26 — right as the birds head south.Washington first frostTypically October 28 — the freeze that ends nectar season.Washington mosquito forecastWhat else is flying in your yard — and when it finally stops.

More West 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 →