When Should You Put Your Hummingbird Feeder Out for the Season in Michigan

Spring officially starts today and with it comes warmer weather and everything around us waking up from a winter slumber.

During this time of the year, I love to look out the window and watch birds eat out of the feeder.

One of the most interesting kinds of birds, the hummingbird will soon be arriving back in Michigan.

When Should You Put Your Hummingbird Feeder Out for the Season in Michigan

If you're looking for Hummingbirds to show up at your place you don't have much time.

The Ruby-throated hummingbird, the only regular hummingbird species found in Michigan, typically arrives in the state during the first week of May.

Those little hummingbirds travel a long way on their migration journey from Mexico and Central America in the winter, covering up to 1,500 miles, including a 20-hour non-stop flight across the Gulf of Mexico.

To welcome the earliest hummingbird arrivals, it's recommended to put out your feeders as early as mid-April. Fill the feeder with a simple sugar-water solution, using a ratio of 1 part sugar to 4 parts water.

In May, you can increase the feeder to half-full and continue to top it up as more hummingbirds arrive throughout the summer.

Read More: If You See This Bird In Michigan It Means Spring Is On Its Way

You can also take some extra steps to attract hummingbirds to your yard by planting hummingbird-friendly flowers and shrubs, such as fuchsias, petunias, and honeysuckle, as they provide a natural food source for them.

As summer comes to an end, hummingbirds begin their southward migration, typically departing Michigan between late August and early September.

To accommodate any late-season stragglers, it's recommended to keep your feeders at about one-third capacity for a few more weeks after your last sighting, before finally taking them down for the year.