When do black-chinned hummingbirds arrive in Arizona?
The Black-chinned Hummingbird is a summer breeder in Arizona — here is when to expect it, when it leaves, and how to be ready.
Black-chinned Hummingbird timing in Arizona
- Arrives
- Around February
- Leaves
- By August
- Status here
- Summer breeder
- Nesting season
- March–July
- Present roughly
- February–August
In Arizona, black-chinned hummingbirds are present through the warm months, arriving around February and heading south again by August.
These windows are set by latitude: Arizona sits in the southern part of this species' range, so timing here runs earlier than the continental average — spring comes sooner, and the birds follow 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 black-chinned hummingbirds are expected in Arizona. 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 February is the time to act. Have feeders cleaned, filled and out by early February — the first black-chinned hummingbirds into Arizona are scouting for reliable food, and a station that's ready early gets added to their route.
Once nesting begins around March, adults switch to protein-rich food for their young and visits to feeders become quick and purposeful. Expect the busiest activity at dawn.
What black-chinned hummingbirds eat while they're here
- Nectar and gnats
The common summer hummingbird of Texas Hill Country and the desert Southwest; pumps its tail while hovering.
Full Black-chinned Hummingbird diet guide → · Best feeder for black-chinned hummingbirds →
Native plants that hold black-chinned hummingbirds in Arizona
Food keeps a migrant for a day; habitat keeps it for the season. These Arizona-native plants are known to attract black-chinned hummingbirds:
Scarlet late-summer spikes; a hummingbird magnet in moist soil.
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.
Red trumpets for Broad-tailed and Rufous hummingbirds.
Blue-violet spikes favored by Broad-tailed Hummingbirds.
Orchid-like flowers through summer for hummingbirds and orioles.
Red spring flower spikes timed to hummingbird and oriole migration.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked
When do black-chinned hummingbirds arrive in Arizona?
black-chinned hummingbirds typically arrive in Arizona around February, with nesting underway by March. Timing can shift a week or two with the weather in any given year.
When do black-chinned hummingbirds leave Arizona?
Most black-chinned hummingbirds have left Arizona by August. They spend the winter farther south and return the following spring.
Do black-chinned hummingbirds stay in Arizona all year?
No — in Arizona the Black-chinned Hummingbird is a summer breeder, present roughly February–August. Outside that window it is rarely seen in the state.
What should I put out before black-chinned hummingbirds arrive in Arizona?
Have feeders up and clean by early February — first arrivals scout reliable food sources. Good offerings for this species: nectar and gnats.
Sources
- Black-chinned Hummingbird — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Black-chinned Hummingbird life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Black-chinned Hummingbird — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Arizona
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- 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.