12 Places in the U.S. Where You Can Still See Hummingbirds in December

Arizona

Arizona is the state with the most hummingbird species in the United States. It is known to have around 17 species, with a handful being migrants. Generally, the best time of year to see hummingbirds is from April to October. However, there are some areas in the state where you can still see hummingbirds year-round. Anna’s hummingbird (Calypte anna) is also another species you can see.

In particular, you can find Anna’s hummingbirds in the Sonoran Desert. They can be found spread across central and southern Arizona. Sightings of them during winter include areas such as Phoenix and Tucson.

The Paton Center for Hummingbirds is also an excellent place to see hummingbirds of all types in southeast Arizona. You can see hummingbird species year-round here, independent of the weather. Another excellent place is Beatty’s Guest Ranch & Orchard. Lastly, Ramsey Canyon Preserve, located in Hereford, AZ, is also a great spot.

Texas

The black-chinned hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) can be found in the western regions of the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The species can be found along the boundary between the eastern Rolling Plains. In addition, they can also be found in South Texas and the Edwards Plateau.

Another species of hummingbird that can be found roaming Texas is the rufous hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus). In Texas, the rufous hummingbird can be found in the lower Rio Grande Valley and inland in the south. The ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) is highly concentrated in the west and south alongside the coast of Texas.

You can find the buff-bellied hummingbird (Amazilia yucatanensis) in the Gulf of Mexico, United States, Guatemala, and Belize. It’s mainly spotted in southern Texas alongside the Lower Rio Grande Valley in the United States.

Places you can see hummingbirds include the Big Bend National Park and the Padre Island National Seashore. Both of these are excellent places to catch a glimpse of hummingbirds year-round.

Louisiana

Louisiana has around 14 species of hummingbirds, six of which are recognized on the state checklists. Out of these, only a handful of hummingbird species can be seen remaining during the winter months. However, they have chosen to stay in Louisiana rather than migrate further to Mexico or Central America.

The rufous, Anna’s, and buff-bellied hummingbirds don’t generally head east. Still, small occurrences have been recorded of them staying in winter. However, Allen’s hummingbird has been spotted staying in Louisiana until mid-December, when they leave their wintering grounds.

The buff-bellied can sometimes be found in December but mainly pass through from the northeast before heading to the southernmost point of Texas for breeding grounds. The calliope hummingbird is rare in Louisiana but has been spotted a handful of times. They often don’t show up on the East Coast but pass through the area when migrating.

Black-chinned hummingbirds are uncommon but can be spotted in Louisiana in the off-season. In addition, broad-billed and broad-tailed hummingbirds have been sighted as well.

Alabama

While most hummingbirds leave Alabama by November, a few variants can still be found in December. The most sighted hummingbird is the ruby-throated (Archilochus colubris), but they migrate by the end of November. A few stragglers might be found, but it’s an unusual occurrence. 

The rufous hummingbird is a wintering bird and can be found in Alabama during December. It migrates early to late fall, heading to its breeding grounds. The rufous hummingbird is mainly found in the southern coastal regions, central and northern Alabama.

The black-chinned hummingbird is a rare hummingbird that is only spotted a handful of times during the year. The hummingbird is most likely to be spotted during winter, mainly due to being knocked off course or lost. The black-chinned hummingbird is often found flying south to Mexico.

Other rare hummingbirds spotted in Alabama are the Allen’s and calliope hummingbirds, which can only be found in winter. They are classified as “accidental” visitors and often are only found in December. Many of the reports of the small birds are from Mobile and Montgomery.

Mississippi

Amongst visiting hummingbirds in the state, the rufous and ruby-throated are the most common. The rufous can be found in Mississippi in winter, as it is a wintering bird. Despite being a rare occurrence, over the past few years, more Rufous hummingbirds have been spotted during winter in Central Mississippi.

On the other hand, the ruby-throated hummingbird lives in Mississippi year-round. While they often stay as late as November before migrating south, the ruby-throated hummingbird can still be spotted in December. However, these small hummingbirds are not adapted to the cold and often don’t fare well in the cold weather. Excellent places to spot these small birds are in coastal areas around the I-10.

Florida

Florida has three types of hummingbirds that can be found during the winter. While the ruby-throated hummingbird migrates and is rare during the winter, the black-chinned and rufous hummingbirds are found in December. The rarest spotted hummingbird in Florida during December is the ruby-throated hummingbird. Essentially, late migrating ones tend to be spotted during this time.

On the other hand, the black-chinned hummingbird can occasionally be seen during winter. Only a small percentage of the rufous hummingbirds migrate to Florida during the winter. Many of them migrate alongside the Pacific Coast. Despite that, Florida sees a small bird migration pattern, especially in the south.

Alaska

A state you won’t assume hummingbirds reside in is Alaska. Specifically, Anna’s hummingbirds can be found in the southern part of the state. During winter, Anna’s hummingbird is found in the coastal regions of Alaska. Rufous hummingbirds can also be spotted but are mainly found migrating across Alaska breeding grounds to Mexico.

Idaho

While there are five different hummingbird species in Idaho, only one can be found during the winter. Since Idaho has harsh winters, the only species found to withstand it is the Anna’s hummingbird. They can be spotted from September through December in the state’s panhandle. Some cities where they have been spotted are Boise, Pocatello, Lewiston, Hailey, New Meadows, and Moscow.

New Mexico

Inside New Mexico, 17 species of hummingbirds are documented, but only half of them are commonly spotted. When you factor in winter, there are even fewer species that you will be able to find in December. Six species breed and nest locally in the state. 

One of the species that winter in New Mexico is Anna’s hummingbird. They are spotted in the state’s southwestern region, such as Albuquerque and Los Alamos.

Oregon

Eight species of hummingbirds can be found in the state of Oregon. The only wintering bird found in the state is the Anna’s hummingbird. It’s regularly found in Oregon, but the population is shrinking. The best places to find it in winter are at low elevations or the south Cascades.

Washington

Four species of hummingbirds can be found throughout Washington State. This includes the rufous, Anna’s, black-chinned, and calliope hummingbirds. However, the main species that can be found wintering in the state is the Anna’s hummingbird. Not only can it be found year-round, but it can be seen spread across the state, especially in the Seattle area.

California

California has seven species of hummingbirds, some of which you can see year-round. The Anna’s and Allen’s hummingbirds are year-round residents and can be seen during December. However, you can spot many different kinds of hummingbirds in the cities.

For example, residents of Los Angeles say that the Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area is in the garden on the upper level. Another place in Los Angeles is the Descanso Garden hosts Anna’s hummingbirds, rufous hummingbirds, Allen’s hummingbirds, Costa’s hummingbirds (Calypte costae), and black-chinned hummingbirds.

Near the Cabrillo National Monument, San Diego also has year-round hummingbird residents. Huntington Library Gardens in San Marino is also another perfect spot to find a wide variety of wintering hummingbirds.