Backyard birds in Hurricane, Utah
Which birds visit Hurricane yards, when they nest at this latitude, and when to be out for the dawn chorus, all worked out from Hurricane's own coordinates.
- Coordinates
- 37.175°, -113.290°
- Population
- 15,501
- June 21 daylight
- 14 h 43 min
- December 21 daylight
- 9 h 36 min
- Sunrise mid-April / late June
- 7:00 AM / 6:12 AM
- Nesting vs state average
- roughly 13 days earlier than the state-wide average
- Hardiness zones (state)
- USDA 4a–9a
Nesting timing in Hurricane
The state guides give nesting windows for Utah as a whole, weighted toward where most people live (about 40.4°N). Hurricane is at 37.2°N. Going by Hopkins' bioclimatic law, spring events move about four days per degree of latitude, so breeding here starts roughly 13 days earlier than the state-wide average. Elevation and nearby water also play a part.
Daylight triggers breeding. Hurricane goes from 9 h 36 min of daylight at the winter solstice to 14 h 43 min in June, a 5 h 7 min swing.
- Black-capped Chickadee — state window April–July; box hole 1 1/8 in round
- Downy Woodpecker — state window April–June; box hole 1 1/4 in round
- Hairy Woodpecker — state window April–June; box hole 1 1/2 in round
- American Goldfinch — state window July–September
- White-breasted Nuthatch — state window April–June; box hole 1 1/4 in round
- House Wren — state window May–August; box hole 1 to 1 1/8 in round
- House Finch — state window April–August
- Mourning Dove — state window March–September
- American Robin — state window April–July
- Dark-eyed Junco — state window May–July
Birds you can expect in Hurricane
Year-round residents (39)
Black-capped Chickadees, Downy Woodpeckers, Hairy Woodpeckers, American Goldfinchs, White-breasted Nuthatchs, House Finchs, Mourning Doves, American Robins, Dark-eyed Juncos, Song Sparrows, Northern Flickers, Red-breasted Nuthatchs, Brown Creepers, Red-winged Blackbirds, Evening Grosbeaks, Pine Siskins, Northern Mockingbirds, Cedar Waxwings, House Sparrows, European Starlings, Steller's Jays, Woodhouse's Scrub-Jays, Black-billed Magpies, Canada Jays, Mountain Chickadees, Bushtits, Juniper Titmice, Pygmy Nuthatchs, Lesser Goldfinchs, Cassin's Finchs, Spotted Towhees, Gambel's Quail, California Quail, Western Bluebirds, Mountain Bluebirds, Cactus Wrens, Verdins, Bewick's Wrens, Eurasian Collared-Doves
Summer breeders (17)
House Wrens, Chipping Sparrows, Gray Catbirds, Tree Swallows, Barn Swallows, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Eastern Kingbirds, Black-chinned Hummingbirds, Broad-tailed Hummingbirds, Costa's Hummingbirds, Say's Phoebes, White-crowned Sparrows, Fox Sparrows, Violet-green Swallows, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Lazuli Buntings, Bullock's Orioles
Winter visitors (1)
Cold winters with valley inversions; mountain birds descend to backyards.
When to watch: dawn chorus in Hurricane
Songbirds sing hardest in the 30–60 minutes before sunrise, and most of all in spring. In Hurricane, sunrise is around 7:00 AM in mid-April, 6:12 AM at the June solstice and 7:42 AM in late December (local time, America/Denver). Fill feeders the evening before so the first birds find food.
Native plants for Hurricane yards
Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.
Prolific seed heads for finches and sparrows.
Annual native sunflower — the original feeder seed.
Native bunchgrass; winter seed and ground cover for sparrows and juncos.
Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.
Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.
Berry-like cones feed bluebirds, solitaires and waxwings in winter.
Seeds and bark insects; pygmy nuthatch and woodpecker habitat.
Nearby cities in Utah
- Saint George — 17 mi away, nesting about the same time as Hurricane
- Cedar City — 37 mi away, nesting about the same time as Hurricane
- Payson — 215 mi away, nesting roughly 11 days later than Hurricane
- Spanish Fork — 221 mi away, nesting roughly 12 days later than Hurricane
- Eagle Mountain — 227 mi away, nesting roughly 13 days later than Hurricane
- Provo — 229 mi away, nesting roughly 12 days later than Hurricane
Frequently asked
What birds live in Hurricane all year?
Year-round residents across Utah include Black-capped Chickadee, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, American Goldfinch, White-breasted Nuthatch. All of them visit backyard feeders in Hurricane.
When do birds start nesting in Hurricane?
Hurricane sits at a different latitude from Utah's population centre, so nesting runs roughly 13 days earlier than the state-wide average, going by the rule of about 4 days per degree of latitude.
What time does the dawn chorus start in Hurricane?
Songbirds start singing about 30–60 minutes before sunrise. In Hurricane, sunrise is around 7:00 AM in mid-April and 6:12 AM in late June.
Sources
- eBird region overview and bar charts — Utah
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (2023)
- Audubon Native Plants Database
- GeoNames gazetteer (city coordinates & population)
- NOAA Solar Calculator methodology
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.