Did you know Iowa only has one truly native hummingbird species? That’s right, only the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) calls Iowa part of its home territory. In fact, this is the U.S. and Canada’s only established native breeding hummingbird species east of the Rocky Mountains! Like other hummingbird species, they are strongly dimorphic, with males sporting more colorful plumage that includes an iridescent red throat patch called a gorget. Read on to find out when these little flying jewels arrive in and leave the state, where they go, and what other species may turn up from time to time for a visit.
When Do Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds Arrive in Iowa?
Putting up a hummingbird feeder during spring migration season is a great way to coax ruby-throated hummingbirds to stay in Iowa and breed!
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Ruby-throated hummingbirds are not year-round residents of Iowa. Rather, they arrive during the annual spring migration season. While many are just passing through as they migrate as far north as southern Canada, others will stick around and make Iowa their home for the breeding season. Males usually arrive first to claim breeding territories, around mid-April, with females arriving soon after to choose mates and nest. If you want to entice these migrating hummingbirds into making your home theirs for the season, you can attract them by planting their favorite nectar flowers and putting up nectar feeders!
When Do Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds Leave Iowa?
Just as adult males are usually first to arrive in spring, they are often the first to leave in fall.
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After breeding and raising their young through the summer, ruby-throated hummingbirds will reverse their path during the fall migration season. During this time, birds who stayed to breed (and their young!) will join up with others journeying back down from areas further north. Adult males usually begin departing first in late August, with most hummingbirds gone from the state by the end of September.
Where Do Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds Go After Leaving Iowa?
This map illustrates the range of the ruby-throated hummingbird. Orange represents its breeding range, yellow its extended migration range, and blue its overwintering range.
Ruby-throated hummingbirds migrate south to overwintering grounds in Florida, Mexico, and Central America. While many migrating through Iowa may continue on an overland route, others migrating on a more eastern path will make an amazing journey across the Gulf of Mexico in a single super-powered nonstop flight!
Do Other Hummingbirds Visit Iowa Too?
While the ruby-throated hummingbird is Iowa’s only official native species, other species from western and southern North America and Central America occasionally pop up in the state as “vagrants.” These are individuals from species whose natural ranges aren’t normally in the state but who somehow turn up anyway. They may have been blown in by storms, gotten thrown off course during migration, hitchhiked on vehicles or cargo, or otherwise just managed to break new ground for their species! At least four such vagrant species have been recorded in Iowa in recent decades.
1. Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus)
The male rufous hummingbird distinguishes itself from the ruby-throated hummingbird by its brilliant orange coloration.
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While this hummingbird species is native to western North America, it appears as a vagrant east of the Rockies more frequently than any of the other western species. It is not uncommon for them to occasionally disperse into the Midwestern U.S., including Iowa. They will most likely turn up as a special visitor to the state during the spring and autumn migration seasons.
2. Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypta anna)
The male Anna’s hummingbird sets itself apart from the other similarly-colored species with an iridescent reddish-pink cap to match its scarf.
©Devonyu /Shutterstock.com
This is a very rare western visitor to Iowa. To date, it has only been recorded twice in the state, once in November 2010 and again in November 2015.
3. Mexican Violetear (Colibri thalassinus)
This male Mexican Violetear shows off the glittering purple patch that gives the species its name.
This super rare visitor to Iowa is native to Mexico and Central America. It has only been recorded twice in the state, once in September 2005 and again in September 2006.
4. Broad-billed Hummingbird (Cynanthus latirostris)
This male broad-billed hummingbird is displaying its distinctive red bill and metallic blue-green iridescence.
©Monir Hossain/iStock via Getty Images
This species, native to Mexico and the Southwestern U.S., is another remarkably rare visitor to Iowa. The state has to date only recorded it once, in October 2021.
Conclusion
The ruby-throated hummingbird is Iowa’s only truly native hummingbird species. This migratory species will arrive in the state during the spring, usually starting in mid-April. While some will continue to points further north, others will stay in the state to breed and raise families. They will leave again for autumn migration beginning in late August through September, making their way south to their overwintering grounds. There are also at least four other hummingbird species that, while not native to the state, have been recorded as rare visitors. If you want to make whatever hummingbirds show up in your area feel welcome, make sure to provide them with a hummingbird-friendly habitat!
