Spring brings excitement for backyard bird watchers. After cleaning your nectar feeders and mixing up fresh sugar water, you hang them outside, and before long, you probably spot your first hummingbird of the season. However, if you look carefully, you will notice an interesting phenomenon. Almost all the hummingbirds visiting your backyard early in the season are males. clean your nectar feeders mix up a fresh batch of sugar water
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Check PriceLike many bird watchers, do you wonder where the females are? That is understandable. It’s typical for female hummingbirds to arrive about 10 days after the males in a phenomenon called the second wave.
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The Advance Guard: Why Males Arrive First
What motivates the males to push ahead? As a group, male hummingbirds serve as an advance guard for the migration season. Their singular focus is to secure the best territory before other males arrive.
A perfect territory has several key features, such as ample food sources and great lookout spots. By migrating early, scouting males can identify the most sought-after areas in your backyard. They will defend a food source or a patch of early blooming native plants. This type of defense maximizes their chances of fending off other males and being able to attract a female.
The Second Wave: Why Females Wait
In contrast, the females have an entirely different set of priorities. While males are preoccupied with territory disputes, the females are busy nesting and then raising the chicks all alone.
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Hummingbirds take about ten days before they begin migration for multiple reasons. First, the environment surrounding the season must be ready. This means more spring flowers, increased populations of small spiders and gnats, and better weather. The tiny gnat and spider populations are their main source of protein for feeding their young. Otherwise, they are forced to deplete their energy reserves through the cold snaps of early spring.
Migration Behavior Comparison
To understand the activities occurring in your yard this spring, it helps to understand the different migration behaviors of male and female hummingbirds.
| Feature | Male Hummingbirds | Female Hummingbirds |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival Timing | Early spring (the advance guard) | About 10 days later (the second wave) |
| Primary Goal | Claim and defend territory | Find safe nesting sites and abundant food |
| Feeder Behavior | Aggressive, chases other birds away | Cautious, visits quickly for energy |
| Energy Strategy | Burns energy fighting for dominance | Conserves energy for egg-laying and raising young |
How to Spot the New Arrivals
How can you tell the second wave of hummingbird migration has arrived in your yard? Look at their throat feathers. Male hummingbirds are renowned for their iridescent and colorful throat feathers (known as gorgets). This species, particularly, has a bright red throat some as far as purple in color.
In contrast, female hummingbirds are much more subdued in coloration. They have white or lightly speckled throats and typically more green pigmentation on their backs. This permits better camouflage as they settle down on their nests among the surrounding trees and bushes.
Also, you may observe a difference in behavior at the feeders among the genders. Males are much more aggressive as they hover at the feeder and chase away the other birds whereas females will dart away after a quick drink.
Preparing Your Yard for Nesting Season
Your yard will turn into a possible nursery when the second wave comes. You do not have to buy any expensive equipment to help them out. Minimal changes to your routine will provide nesting females everything they need.
Yard Preparation Checklist for Nesting Females
- Refresh nectar frequently: Empty and refill your feeders every three to five days, or more often if the weather is hot. Spoiled nectar can make birds sick.
- Stick to the basic recipe: Mix one part plain white sugar with four parts water. Never use honey, artificial sweeteners, or red dye.
- Clean feeders thoroughly: Scrub away any black mold or cloudy residue with hot water and a bottle brush before refilling.
- Leave the spiderwebs alone: Female hummingbirds use sticky spider silk to bind their tiny nests together. Leaving a few webs in your garden provides essential building materials.
- Plant native tubular flowers: Add plants like columbine, bee balm, or cardinal flower to your garden. These provide natural nectar and attract the tiny insects females need for protein.
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Check PriceEnjoying the Season
It’s easy to get excited for the upcoming spring and the arrival of migrating hummingbirds. After the first couple of seasons, you’ll be able to detect the different patterns of the early vs. late arrivals. The females are notorious for being quiet and I’ve seen people miss their first females of the season because of this, so make sure to have your feeders ready! Enjoy the messy nesting season and all the joy it brings!
