How to attract Costa's hummingbirds to your yard
Costa's Hummingbirds respond to four things: the right food, the right plants, water and safe nesting cover. Here is what each means for this particular bird, drawn from its range across 5 states and provinces.
First: is it in your area, and when?
You can only attract a bird that passes through or lives near you, so start with timing. The Costa's Hummingbird is a year-round resident in 2 states and provinces, including Arizona, California — there, a yard can host it in every season. It arrives only to breed in 3, such as Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, so set up before spring arrival.
Plant what Costa's hummingbirds use
These native plants are tied to the Costa's Hummingbird in our regional plant lists (Audubon Native Plants and state sources). The count shows how many states or provinces list the plant for this bird — higher means it works across more of the range. Pick the ones native where you live.
| Plant | Type | States | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinal flower Lobelia cardinalis | Perennial | 5 | Scarlet late-summer spikes; a hummingbird magnet in moist soil. |
| Desert willow Chilopsis linearis | Tree | 5 | Orchid-like flowers through summer for hummingbirds and orioles. |
| Golden currant Ribes aureum | Shrub | 5 | Early yellow flowers for hummingbirds, then summer fruit. |
| Scarlet gilia Ipomopsis aggregata | Perennial | 5 | Red trumpets for Broad-tailed and Rufous hummingbirds. |
| Wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa | Perennial | 5 | Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches. |
| Ocotillo Fouquieria splendens | Shrub | 4 | Red spring flower spikes timed to hummingbird and oriole migration. |
| Rocky Mountain bee plant Cleome serrulata | Perennial | 4 | Nectar-rich in summer, seed for finches in fall. |
| Rocky Mountain penstemon Penstemon strictus | Perennial | 4 | Blue-violet spikes favored by Broad-tailed Hummingbirds. |
| California fuchsia Epilobium canum | Perennial | 1 | Late-season red flowers when other nectar is scarce. |
| Chuparosa Justicia californica | Shrub | 1 | Winter–spring red flowers for Costa's and Anna's hummingbirds. |
Your list covers 3 plant layers (perennial, tree, shrub). Layering matters: mixing perennial, tree, shrub gives Costa's hummingbirds food, perches and cover at different heights. Leave seed heads and fruit standing into winter instead of cutting back in fall.
Offer the food it actually eats
Desert nectar and insects.
- Warm months
- Nectar and gnats
- Cold months
- Chuparosa, ocotillo and feeders
- At feeders
- Sugar water 1:4
Feeder style matters as much as food: saucer nectar feeder is the first choice for this bird. Nests in late winter in the Sonoran Desert and leaves the hottest areas by midsummer. Feeder guide →
Give it a place to nest
Natural site: Cup in desert shrubs or cacti.
It does not use nest boxes, so the way to host a nest is cover: keep dense native shrubs, vines or trees of the kind listed above, and avoid pruning them during the nesting season.
- Clutch
- 2 eggs
- Incubation
- 15–18 days
- Nestling period
- 20–23 days
- Broods per year
- 1–2 per season
Timing shifts with latitude: nesting begins around January in Arizona but not until February in Utah. Don't trim shrubs or clean boxes during those months.
Water, safety and patience
- A shallow bath (1–2 in deep) with a rough bottom, refreshed every 2–3 days; a dripper or heater makes it far more attractive in summer heat and winter freeze.
- Place feeders within 3 ft of windows or more than 30 ft away to cut window strikes, and keep cats indoors.
- Skip pesticides — most backyard birds feed insects to their nestlings, even seed-eaters.
- Give it time. New feeders and plantings can take days to weeks to be found; residents usually find a stocked yard first.
Frequently asked
What attracts Costa's hummingbirds to a yard?
Food they actually eat (sugar water 1:4), native plants such as Cardinal flower, Desert willow, Golden currant, clean water and suitable nesting cover: cup in desert shrubs or cacti.
What plants attract Costa's hummingbirds?
Across the Costa's Hummingbird's range, the native plants most often tied to it are Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), Desert willow (Chilopsis linearis), Golden currant (Ribes aureum), Scarlet gilia (Ipomopsis aggregata), Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa). Choose the ones native to your state.
When should I set up my yard for nesting Costa's hummingbirds?
Nesting starts around January in Arizona and as late as February in Utah. Have cover, water ready a month before.
Sources
- Costa's Hummingbird — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Costa's Hummingbird life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Costa's Hummingbird — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
- 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.