Costa's Hummingbirds in Arizona

Costa'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 chuparosa, ocotillo 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, Costa's hummingbirds typically nest from January–May. Nest site: cup in desert shrubs or cacti. Females lay 2 eggs, incubate for 15–18 days, and young leave the nest after 20–23 days.

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

• Costa'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 Costa's hummingbirds use:

Nests in late winter in the Sonoran Desert and leaves the hottest areas by midsummer.

• Best foods: Sugar water 1:4.
• In Arizona's winter: Low deserts stay mild and host many wintering sparrows and hummingbirds; the high country gets snow.

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