Broad-tailed Hummingbird in May
Where broad-tailed hummingbirds are in May, whether they are nesting, and the best foods to offer right now.
May in the Broad-tailed Hummingbird's year
May is the peak of the birding year. Migration floods the North, dawn chorus is at its loudest, and nesting is underway across most of the continent. By month's end the first broods of the year are hatching in mid-latitudes.
For the Broad-tailed Hummingbird specifically, May is a spring month of relative routine, with the species settled into its seasonal pattern across its range. Across the 8 states and provinces where broad-tailed hummingbirds occur, what the bird is doing this month depends heavily on latitude — the details below break it down by band.
Where broad-tailed hummingbirds are in May
- Southern states
- absent
- Mid-latitudes
- summer breeder
- Northern states & Canada
- absent
In May, broad-tailed hummingbirds are absent in the South, summer breeder across the mid-latitudes, and absent in the northern states and Canada. That north–south split is the defining feature of this month: where you live changes which version of this bird you're looking at.
Nesting in May
Broad-tailed hummingbirds are not nesting in May. The season runs June–July at mid-latitudes, starting roughly a month earlier in the South.
Outside the nesting season, broad-tailed hummingbirds put their energy into feeding and flocking rather than territory and young — which is exactly what makes them easier to watch and attract this month.
What to feed in May
- Nectar from penstemon and scarlet gilia
Breeds at 6,000–10,000 ft; can drop body temperature overnight to survive frosty mountain nights.
Adults feeding nestlings need easy calories. Some species that ignored feeders all winter now visit regularly, and you may see fledglings brought to feeders by their parents.
Full Broad-tailed Hummingbird diet guide → · Best feeder for broad-tailed hummingbirds →
Watching broad-tailed hummingbirds this month
Broad-tailed hummingbirds are settled and predictable in May, which makes this a good month to learn the bird's routine — same feeders, same perches, same times of day.
The state guides below show exactly where in your region broad-tailed hummingbirds are expected this month and which native plants hold them in a yard.
Broad-tailed Hummingbird month by month
Broad-tailed Hummingbird by state
Frequently asked
Where are broad-tailed hummingbirds in May?
In May, broad-tailed hummingbirds are absent in the South, summer breeder across mid-latitudes and absent in the North.
Do broad-tailed hummingbirds nest in May?
No — broad-tailed hummingbirds typically nest June through July at mid-latitudes.
What do broad-tailed hummingbirds eat in May?
Nectar from penstemon and scarlet gilia.
Sources
- Broad-tailed Hummingbird — All About Birds, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Broad-tailed Hummingbird life history — Cornell Lab of Ornithology
- Broad-tailed Hummingbird — Audubon Guide to North American Birds
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.