When do ruby-throated hummingbirds arrive in Alberta?
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is a summer breeder in Alberta — here is when to expect it, when it leaves, and how to be ready.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird timing in Alberta
- Arrives
- Around May
- Leaves
- By September
- Status here
- Summer breeder
- Nesting season
- June–August
- Present roughly
- May–September
In Alberta, ruby-throated hummingbirds are present through the warm months, arriving around May and heading south again by September. Central Alberta.
These windows are set by latitude: Alberta sits in the middle part of this species' range, so timing here runs later than the continental average — the season starts later this far north and the birds wait for it. In any given year, weather can move the first arrivals by a week or two either way.
Month by month in this state
Highlighted months are when ruby-throated hummingbirds are expected in Alberta. The edges of the window are the interesting weeks — first arrivals and last departures vary most from year to year.
Getting ready before they arrive
The week before May is the time to act. Have feeders cleaned, filled and out by early May — the first ruby-throated hummingbirds into Alberta are scouting for reliable food, and a station that's ready early gets added to their route.
Once nesting begins around June, adults switch to protein-rich food for their young and visits to feeders become quick and purposeful. Expect the busiest activity at dawn.
What ruby-throated hummingbirds eat while they're here
- Nectar from tubular red and orange flowers
- Gnats, mosquitoes and small spiders
Change nectar every 2 days in hot weather (under 80°F, every 4–5 days) and clean the feeder each refill. Males defend feeders aggressively; several feeders out of sight of each other help.
Full Ruby-throated Hummingbird diet guide → · Best feeder for ruby-throated hummingbirds →
Native plants that hold ruby-throated hummingbirds in Alberta
Food keeps a migrant for a day; habitat keeps it for the season. These Alberta-native plants are known to attract ruby-throated hummingbirds:
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
Early yellow flowers for hummingbirds, then summer fruit.
Nectar-rich in summer, seed for finches in fall.
Evergreen with yellow spring flowers and blue summer fruit.
Tall magenta spikes are a key northern hummingbird flower.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked
When do ruby-throated hummingbirds arrive in Alberta?
ruby-throated hummingbirds typically arrive in Alberta around May, with nesting underway by June. Timing can shift a week or two with the weather in any given year.
When do ruby-throated hummingbirds leave Alberta?
Most ruby-throated hummingbirds have left Alberta by September. They spend the winter farther south and return the following spring.
Do ruby-throated hummingbirds stay in Alberta all year?
No — in Alberta the Ruby-throated Hummingbird is a summer breeder, present roughly May–September. Outside that window it is rarely seen in the state.
What should I put out before ruby-throated hummingbirds arrive in Alberta?
Have feeders up and clean by early May — first arrivals scout reliable food sources. Good offerings for this species: nectar from tubular red and orange flowers; gnats, mosquitoes and small spiders.
Sources
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Alberta
- Plant Hardiness Zones of Canada — Natural Resources Canada
- Audubon Native Plants Database
Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.