Anna's Hummingbirds in Arizona

Anna's Hummingbirds live in Arizona all year. Low deserts stay mild and host many wintering sparrows and hummingbirds; the high country gets snow. That makes the cold months the time your yard matters most to them: their winter diet shifts toward winter-blooming manzanita and feeders.

Hot Sonoran and Mojave deserts in the south and west, with pine-oak sky islands and the Colorado Plateau rising above 7,000 ft.

Across Arizona, Anna's hummingbirds typically nest from November–May. Nest site: tiny cup of plant down and spider silk. Females lay 2 eggs, incubate for 14–19 days, and young leave the nest after 18–23 days.

Summer highs above 110°F in Phoenix and Tucson make water the single strongest attractant; the July monsoon triggers a second breeding pulse.

• Anna's Hummingbirds don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as golden currant, desert willow, ocotillo for nest sites.
• Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after May.

Of the regional native plants we track for Arizona, these 8 provide food or cover Anna's hummingbirds use:

Anna's stay year-round and nest in winter; in freezing weather, keep one feeder thawed.

• Best foods: Sugar water: 1 part sugar to 4 parts water.
• Avoid: Red dye, honey and artificial sweeteners.
• In Arizona's winter: Low deserts stay mild and host many wintering sparrows and hummingbirds; the high country gets snow.

Full diet breakdown for Anna's hummingbirds · Best feeder for Anna's hummingbirds