How to attract rufous hummingbirds to your yard
Rufous 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 13 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. It arrives only to breed in 7, such as Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and 1 more, so set up before spring arrival. It is a winter visitor in 6, including Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, where feeders and winter fruit matter most.
Plant what rufous hummingbirds use
These native plants are tied to the Rufous 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa | Perennial | 11 | Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches. |
| Cardinal flower Lobelia cardinalis | Perennial | 6 | Scarlet late-summer spikes; a hummingbird magnet in moist soil. |
| Coral bean Erythrina herbacea | Shrub | 6 | Red tubular spring flowers for early hummingbirds. |
| Golden currant Ribes aureum | Shrub | 6 | Early yellow flowers for hummingbirds, then summer fruit. |
| Oregon grape Mahonia aquifolium | Shrub | 6 | Evergreen with yellow spring flowers and blue summer fruit. |
| Red buckeye Aesculus pavia | Shrub | 6 | Blooms right as Ruby-throated Hummingbirds return. |
| Rocky Mountain bee plant Cleome serrulata | Perennial | 6 | Nectar-rich in summer, seed for finches in fall. |
| Trumpet creeper Campsis radicans | Vine | 6 | Large orange trumpets through midsummer. |
| Trumpet honeysuckle Lonicera sempervirens | Vine | 6 | Native red tubular flowers timed to hummingbird arrival. |
| Fireweed Chamaenerion angustifolium | Perennial | 5 | Tall magenta spikes are a key northern hummingbird flower. |
Your list covers 3 plant layers (perennial, shrub, vine). Layering matters: mixing perennial, shrub, vine gives rufous 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
Nectar and insects.
- Warm months
- Nectar and gnats
- Cold months
- Winters in Mexico; some along the Gulf Coast
- At feeders
- Sugar water 1:4
Feeder style matters as much as food: saucer nectar feeder is the first choice for this bird. The most aggressive hummingbird — one male may guard all feeders; hang several out of sight of each other. Feeder guide →
Give it a place to nest
Natural site: Cup in conifers or shrubs.
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
- 15–17 days
- Nestling period
- 21 days
- Broods per year
- 1–2 per season
Timing shifts with latitude: nesting begins around May in Idaho but not until June in Montana. 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; a summer breeder won't appear until it returns in spring.
Frequently asked
What attracts rufous hummingbirds to a yard?
Food they actually eat (sugar water 1:4), native plants such as Wild bergamot, Cardinal flower, Coral bean, clean water and suitable nesting cover: cup in conifers or shrubs.
What plants attract rufous hummingbirds?
Across the Rufous Hummingbird's range, the native plants most often tied to it are Wild bergamot (Monarda fistulosa), Cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), Coral bean (Erythrina herbacea), Golden currant (Ribes aureum), Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium). Choose the ones native to your state.
When should I set up my yard for nesting rufous hummingbirds?
Nesting starts around May in Idaho and as late as June in Montana. Have cover, water ready a month before.
Sources
- Rufous Hummingbird — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Rufous Hummingbird life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Rufous 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.