When Should We Put Out Hummingbird Feeders in Arkansas?

Spring is here, if you are like me then you are wondering when should I put my hummingbird feeders out in Arkansas and when can we expect to see those sweet little birds in our area?

Watching hummingbirds is one of my favorite things to do in the warmer weather, I can watch them for hours.  Who doesn't love watching these? I watch hummingbirds fly around in my backyard as they divebomb each other for a chance to drink from my hummingbird feeder

The Best Time to Put Hummingbird Feeders Out in Arkansas

Most birdwatching reports will tell you that hummingbirds will return to Arkansas in late March to mid-April. According to the birdwatchhq.com site, they recommend we should put our hummingbird feeders out around March 20. So now is a great time to clean your feeders and get them out.

Where Are Hummingbirds Coming From in the Spring?

Hummingbirds are making their way north from Mexico and Central America and that's a long trip. The males come up first to scout out good breeding areas and they are looking for food. Our feeders will help the ones that are traveling further north but it will also help out the hummingbirds that decide to stay in our area.

Easy Hummingbird Recipe for Health Hummingbirds

Remember that the perfect recipe for their health is a 1 to 4 part ratio. 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. Do not go overboard on the sugar. They might love it but it's not good for their little liver and kidneys. Kind of like if we went overboard on cokes.

If you want to make 1 cup of food, that would be 1/4 cup of sugar to one cup of water.

Or 1 cup of sugar to 4 cups of water...get it?

You can even use tap water. Just make sure to stir until the sugar dissolves. Refrigerate the leftovers and replace the hummingbird food every few days to keep it fresh.

Only use real white cane sugar! No brown sugar, no organic sugar, no sugar substitutes, no honey and no dyes! 

Check out this 2024 migration map that gets updated regularly.

Oh and when do you take the hummingbird feeders down? In the fall when you don't see any more hummingbirds. They won't stick around when the weather starts getting colder but it's good to keep the feeder out for a little while in the fall for any hummers that are straggling behind in the migration back south.

The video below is of last year's migration, watch how these sweet birds flood the south and eastern portions of the country.

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