Posted in Cleveland March 19, 2020 by

Keep Your Eyes Peeled, Thousands Of Hummingbirds Are Headed Right For Cleveland During Their Migration This Spring

There is so much to love about spring in Ohio. Flowers bloom, birds sing, and people feel friendlier. Springtime also brings another incredible experience to Ohioans: the annual hummingbird migration. In Ohio, the hummingbird migration will bring familiar species like the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird up North to breed. Keep your eyes peeled, because they just might pay a visit to your own backyard.

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Cold, rainy weather may be slowing the migration of the hummingbirds north... but don't worry, they'll be in the Cleveland area in no time.
Andrew Cannizzaro/Flickr
Traveling by day just above the treetops, hummingbirds are moving from their wintering grounds in Central America and the Southern United States back into the Central, Western, and Northern United States.
The hummingbirds travel to build nests and breed, something that many birds tend to do in the spring.
Wolfgang Wander, Papa Lima Whiskey/Wikimedia Commons
Hummingbirds in Ohio will typically breed in June and July. Their young leave the nest around just 20 days of age, and it's not uncommon for certain species, like the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, to build and lay eggs in a second nest while they are feeding the hatchlings in their first.
Here in Ohio, you are most likely to spot Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds... but they're definitely not the only ones here!
Jen Goellnitz/Flickr
The Ruby Throated Hummingbird weighs less than an ounce, but this species has been recorded traveling as fast as 60 miles per hour. It was once believed that this was the only Ohio hummingbird, but locals have spotted other species even during the winter! The Rufous Hummingbird typically breeds near Alaska and spends winters in Mexico, but in the past few decades a select few have been spotted wintering in Ohio. Even tropical hummingbirds like the Violet-Ear Hummingbird from Central America have been spotted in Ohio from time to time!
Hummingbirds, as you know, feast on insects and nectar alike, so now's a great time to start thinking about what you'll be planting this spring.
Erik Drost/Flickr
Hummingbirds love nectar! It can be found in great abundance in brightly colored flowers, or you can place out artificial feeders. Native Ohio wildflowers are the best to attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and even the hummingbird hawk-moth.
These guys usually start to arrive around mid-April and early May, and they usually stay until September.
Andrew Cannizzaro/Flickr
When September rolls around, hummingbirds usually start fattening up and planning their trips down South and out West. As some hummingbirds travel up to Canada in the spring, many of them may pass through Ohio as they travel to their winter homes.
Whether you're exploring a Cleveland landmark like the Cultural Gardens or enjoying the privacy of your own backyard, you'll want to keep your eyes peeled for hummingbirds.
Erik Drost/Flickr
To many, the arrival of hummingbirds is a telltale sign that summer is on its way. Plus, there's a certain sort of grace about these guys that is downright mesmerizing.
You never know who (or what species of hummingbird , for that matter) will be paying you a visit this spring and summer.
Centpacrr/Wikimedia Commons
These beautiful and majestic creatures will be seen all over the United States very soon, and many will be passing through (and possibly even nesting in) Greater Cleveland!

In Ohio, the hummingbird migration is a telltale sign of summer’s approach. If you’re lucky enough, you just might grab a picture of your super duper tiny and speedy visitors. Have you ever photographed a hummingbird? We’d love to see your capture in the comments!

Love hummingbirds? The Secrest Arboretum has a garden that they can’t resist.