Delaware · Summer breeder

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in Delaware

When ruby-throated hummingbirds are present in Delaware, when they nest, which native Delaware plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 7a–8a yard.

Hummingbirds (Trochilidae)Ruby-throated HummingbirdArchilochus colubris

Status in Delaware: Summer breeder
Nesting window: May–August
Broods: 1–2 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 7a–8a

When to expect ruby-throated hummingbirds in Delaware

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are summer residents in Delaware, arriving shortly before nesting begins in May and leaving after the young are independent. Through the season they feed on nectar from tubular red and orange flowers; gnats, mosquitoes and small spiders.

Humid subtropical to temperate coastal plain between Delaware Bay and the Atlantic.

Nesting in Delaware

Across Delaware, ruby-throated hummingbirds typically nest from May–August. Nest site: walnut-sized cup of plant down bound with spider silk, saddled on a downward-sloping branch. Females lay 1–3 eggs (usually 2), incubate for 12–14 days, and young leave the nest after 18–22 days.

Hot, humid summers; bay-shore woodlots are important migrant stopovers in May.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as trumpet honeysuckle, trumpet creeper for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after August.

Native Delaware plants that attract ruby-throated hummingbirds

Of the regional native plants we track for Delaware, these 4 provide food or cover ruby-throated hummingbirds use:

Trumpet honeysuckle

Lonicera sempervirens · Vine

Native red tubular flowers timed to hummingbird arrival.

Trumpet creeper

Campsis radicans · Vine

Large orange trumpets through midsummer.

Cardinal flower

Lobelia cardinalis · Perennial

Scarlet late-summer spikes; a hummingbird magnet in moist soil.

Wild bergamot

Monarda fistulosa · Perennial

Tubular flowers for hummingbirds and seed heads for finches.

Feeding ruby-throated hummingbirds through the Delaware year

Change nectar every 2 days in hot weather (under 80°F, every 4–5 days) and clean the feeder each refill. Males defend feeders aggressively; several feeders out of sight of each other help.

Best foods: Sugar water: 1 part white sugar to 4 parts water, no dye.
Avoid: Honey, brown sugar, artificial sweeteners and red dye.
In Delaware's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.

Full diet breakdown for ruby-throated hummingbirds · Best feeder for ruby-throated hummingbirds

Frequently asked

Are ruby-throated hummingbirds in Delaware year-round?

No. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are summer breeders in Delaware and leave for the winter.

When do ruby-throated hummingbirds nest in Delaware?

Nesting in Delaware typically runs May–August, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 1–3 eggs (usually 2), incubated for 12–14 days.

What native plants attract ruby-throated hummingbirds in Delaware?

Trumpet honeysuckle, Trumpet creeper, Cardinal flower, Wild bergamot are native plants in Delaware that provide food or cover for ruby-throated hummingbirds.

Other backyard birds in Delaware

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Carolina Chickadee Purple Martin Downy Woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch Tufted Titmouse White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren House Finch Purple Finch Carolina Wren Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco White-throated Sparrow Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Red-bellied Woodpecker Northern Flicker Pileated Woodpecker Red-headed Woodpecker Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown-headed Nuthatch Brown Creeper Common Grackle Red-winged Blackbird Baltimore Oriole Orchard Oriole Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting Eastern Towhee Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Brown Thrasher Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Eastern Phoebe Chimney Swift Yellow-rumped Warbler Pine Warbler Eastern Screech-Owl Wood Thrush Great Crested Flycatcher Eastern Kingbird American Tree Sparrow House Sparrow European Starling White-crowned Sparrow Fox Sparrow

Sources

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.