When do broad-tailed hummingbirds arrive in Idaho?
The Broad-tailed Hummingbird is a summer breeder in Idaho — here is when to expect it, when it leaves, and how to be ready.
Broad-tailed Hummingbird timing in Idaho
- Arrives
- Around May
- Leaves
- By August
- Status here
- Summer breeder
- Nesting season
- June–July
- Present roughly
- May–August
In Idaho, broad-tailed hummingbirds are present through the warm months, arriving around May and heading south again by August. Southeastern Idaho.
These windows are set by latitude: Idaho sits in the middle part of this species' range, so timing here tracks the continental average closely. 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 broad-tailed hummingbirds are expected in Idaho. 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 broad-tailed hummingbirds into Idaho 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 broad-tailed hummingbirds eat while they're here
- Nectar from penstemon and scarlet gilia
Breeds at 6,000–10,000 ft; can drop body temperature overnight to survive frosty mountain nights.
Full Broad-tailed Hummingbird diet guide → · Best feeder for broad-tailed hummingbirds →
Native plants that hold broad-tailed hummingbirds in Idaho
Food keeps a migrant for a day; habitat keeps it for the season. These Idaho-native plants are known to attract broad-tailed 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.
Red trumpets for Broad-tailed and Rufous hummingbirds.
Blue-violet spikes favored by Broad-tailed Hummingbirds.
Early spring blooms fuel returning Rufous Hummingbirds.
Evergreen with yellow spring flowers and blue summer fruit.
Spring flowers for Rufous Hummingbirds, early fruit for thrushes.
Keep exploring
Frequently asked
When do broad-tailed hummingbirds arrive in Idaho?
broad-tailed hummingbirds typically arrive in Idaho around May, with nesting underway by June. Timing can shift a week or two with the weather in any given year.
When do broad-tailed hummingbirds leave Idaho?
Most broad-tailed hummingbirds have left Idaho by August. They spend the winter farther south and return the following spring.
Do broad-tailed hummingbirds stay in Idaho all year?
No — in Idaho the Broad-tailed Hummingbird is a summer breeder, present roughly May–August. Outside that window it is rarely seen in the state.
What should I put out before broad-tailed hummingbirds arrive in Idaho?
Have feeders up and clean by early May — first arrivals scout reliable food sources. Good offerings for this species: nectar from penstemon and scarlet gilia.
Sources
- Broad-tailed Hummingbird — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Broad-tailed Hummingbird life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Broad-tailed Hummingbird — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Idaho
- 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.