TOPEKA (KSNT) – Thousands of hummingbirds are set to pass through Kansas this year during their migration season and a wildlife expert is weighing in on when people can expect to see them flying through their backyards.
Chuck Otte, a self-described lifelong birder and secretary of the Kansas Ornithological Society, said that people don’t have to wait too much longer for the first ruby-throated hummingbirds to start appearing in the Sunflower State. They’ll be traveling through the state starting in the spring as they head north to breed, then make their way back south in mid-fall before winter’s arrival.
Otte, to help people get a better idea of when they can expect to see the tiny birds flying around, created a new map to demonstrate the spring return dates for hummingbirds. He said the map is meant to give people an idea of when they should start putting out their hummingbird feeders this year and begin looking for hummingbird activity outside.
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Otte said that, during the spring, hummingbirds will be moving quickly to the north to reach their breeding grounds, but some may stick around to nest in Kansas. Most hummingbird activity will be restricted to the eastern half of the state.
“Some will stay in the state and nest, especially in those green, yellow and blue counties,” Otte said.
Kansans living in the western parts of the state are unlikely to see many, if any, hummingbirds as the Sunflower State sits on the far western extent of their natural range. Otte said it is uncommon or rare to spot hummingbirds in western Kansas.
“Those are the parts of the state where they don’t regularly see ruby-throated hummingbirds coming through in the spring,” Otte said. “A lot of those counties don’t have ruby-throated hummingbird records at all.”
Hummingbirds, starting in mid to late-July, will start to head back south at a more leisurely pace, according to Otte. Kansans can expect to see more hummingbirds during this time and through to early September.
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Ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) feeding from salvia flower. (Getty Images)
“Most of the hummingbirds will be out of the state by the last week of October,” Otte said. “They’re gonna head to southern Mexico and northern central America.”
Otte said it is important to not put hummingbird feeders out until at least mid-April. He said that putting feeders up now is a waste of time and effort.
“We’re still five weeks out from when they’re expected to return,” Otte said.
Otte said that interest in feeding hummingbirds and spotting them in the wild has grown in recent years, which is why he spent time putting together the latest migratory map for the birds. He said he was also inspired to take up the project after watching national sources create broader hummingbird maps that were not designed with Kansas in mind.
“A lot of those people putting out those maps have never been to Kansas,” Otte said. “I sat down and put the first map together a year ago. I spent more time looking at the past several years, wanted to make it simpler.”
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Otte recommends that people who are putting out feeders should use four parts water and one part white granulated sugar. He said it isn’t necessary to add honey or dye. Feeders should also be placed somewhere you can watch them for hummingbird activity, preferably near some trees or flowers.
“The only other thing is, keep the feeder clean during warmer weather,” Otte said. “Clean it every two or three days.”
You can find Otte’s hummingbird map online by clicking here. For more information on attracting and spotting hummingbirds in Kansas, head to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Park’s website.
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