Hummingbird Migration
The earliest spring migrants arrive in Tennessee by late March. They will continue to pass through until mid-May. Hummers will begin laying eggs in early May. The young fledglings will start appearing out of the nest by mid-June. Unless a hummingbird is maintaining a nesting or feeding territory near your yard, you may not see any hummingbirds during nesting season.

Fall migration is when you will see the most hummingbirds. The population is greatest in late summer because of the addition of recently hatched young birds. Each successful nest usually produces two young hummers. Planting a garden with lots of late-summer, early-fall blooming nectar rich hummingbird favorites will attract migrants. Migrant hummer numbers often peak between mid-August and early September in Tennessee.

A few hummingbirds nesting in the western U.S. and Canada show up in Tennessee, most are rufous hummingbirds. Winter hummers often select yards with late blooming, nectar-bearing flowers such as salvias and lots of evergreen trees and shrubs that provide winter cover for insects and for wintering hummers

Follow and chart hummingbird sightings on this Google Map!

Early Spring
Wild Columbine
Wild Blue Phlox
Early Blooming Crossvines
Yellow Carolina jessamine
Flowering quince and azaleas
Red buckeye
Red Fuchsia
Calibrachoa

Carolina jessamine

Wild Columbine

Red buckeye

Calibrachoa

Late Spring to Early Summer
Indian pink
Lantana, especially in shades of red, coral, pink, orange and yellow,
Petunias
Fuchsias
Geraniums
Coral Honeysuckle
Penstemons
Pentas

Indian pink

Lantana

Coral Honeysuckle

Penstemon

Summer
Cypress vine
Cardinal climber
Orange trumpet creeper
Bee balm
Verbena
Mandevilla

Bee Balm

Cardinal Climber

Orange Trumpet

Verbena

Late Summer to Fall
Cardinal flowers
Lantana
Marigold
Orange Jewelweed
Salvias ‘Coral Nymph’ and ‘Lady in Red’ are favorites
Autumn sage
Mexican bush sage
Pineapple sage