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Travel - North America

Where the hummers come to you

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Many hummingbird destinations are privately owned and operated to attract both hummers and human visitors. Many have expended great effort to enhance your hummingbird viewing experience and offer fabulous diversity.

We do not endorse nor have a relationship with any of the facilities. We simply list them here as we believe they are some of the best we have visited. If you know of others please let us know.

If you are an avid traveling birder and seeking specific species I suggest you read some of the trip reports on CloudBirders. They offer coordinates, images, maps and species. Especially the trip reports by Ross Gallardy

North America > United States > Arizona

Eighteen (18) species recorded. List

The Hummingbird Monitoring Network is a science-based, project-driven, nonprofit organization dedicated to the conservation of hummingbird diversity and abundance throughout the Americas.

They have a very prodigious schedule of capturing, recording data, banding and releasing hummingbirds from March through Oct.

They often need volunteers.

Or you can observe hummingbirds up-close.

North America > United States > Arizona > Madera Canyon

Friends of Madera Canyon With lofty mountain peaks, forested slopes, seasonal streams, and an amazing variety of plants and wildlife, Madera Canyon has become a popular recreational destination. Madera's hiking trails are applauded throughout the Southwest, and vary from paved, handicap-accessible trails and gentle walking paths in the lower canyon, to steep, expert trails leading to the top of 9,453-foot Mt. Wrightson.

Southeastern Arizona, with Madera Canyon at its heart, is rated the third best birding destination in the United States. With fifteen (15) species of hummingbirds, Elegant Trogon, Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Black-capped Gnatcatcher, Flame-colored Tanager, 36 species of wood warblers, and over 256 species of birds documented, it is a "required" site for all serious birders. 

North America > United States > Arizona > Patagonia

  • Paton's Hummingbird Haven is a special place. It started in 1974, when Wally and Marion—life-long bird-lovers—began to plant flowers and install water features on their property. They put up hummingbird feeders and had great success, attracting Violet-crowned and other hummingbirds reappear around March and continue through October along with even rarer species like the Cinnamon Hummingbird and Plain-Capped Starthroat. The general birding from April through September is exceptional. The yard is always open, dawn until dusk, every day of the year. Entrance is free but donations are greatly appreciated.

    The Tucson Audubon Society, working closely with the American Bird Conservancy and the Victor Emanuel Nature Tours company, launched a fundraising campaign and succeeded in raising the funds needed to purchase the property. More

    Directions: Going west on state highway 82, turn to your right at 4th. Avenue. If your going east on state highway 82, turn left at 4th. Avenue. There is a small sign on the corner with a pair of binoculars painted on it. On the other corner there a Cowboy Bar. Once you are on 4th Ave., proceed to the end of the street. You will come to a T intersection, turn left. As soon as you pass or cross the dry creek ( Sonia Creek ) the Patton's house will be the first house you come to on your left. You should be able to notice the signs on their fence that goes across their front yard.

  • Patagonia Rest Stop is four miles south of town on Rt 82 with one picnic table and the 150-yard trail along the creek across the highway is summer home to the reliable thick-billed kingbirds, Arizona's noisiest birds, and the occasional rose-throated becards, builders of a spectacular hanging nest shaped like a huge football.

  • Patagonia-Sonoita Creek Preserve is one of the best-known and most popular places for birding in the U.S. More birders have seen their first gray hawks here than anywhere else. The streamside or riparian habitat found along Sonoita Creek contains some of the richest habitat remaining in Southern Arizona. More than 300 species migrate, nest, and live in this critical habitat and bird enthusiasts come thousands of miles to catch a glimpse of some of them. Of particular interest are the gray hawk, vermilion flycatcher, violet-crowned hummingbird, thick-billed kingbird, zone-tailed hawk, green kingfisher, white-throated sparrows (in winter) and black-bellied whistling duck.

  • Patagonia Lake on Rt 82 is located southwest of Patagonia, Arizona, and northeast of Nogales. The lake is 260 acres and was created by damming Sonoita Creek. Facilities are maintained by Arizona State Parks.

  • Hendrix Residence near Nogales. According to the National Audubon Society, the American Birding Association and other sources, this ranch has the largest number of hummers that anyone has seen in one spot in the United States. Jesse Hendrix puts about 150 feeders around his remote Nogales home to keep up with the thousands of birds that visit him each year between the peak period of April and October. The Hendrix Ranch has been featured in People Magazine, PBS and the BBC and people come from all over the world to visit.

    UPDATE from Rose - "The Hendrix residence near Nogales, Arizona no longer exists. I drove down to see it, and found NO TRESPASSING signs at the entrance to the property. After making inquiries with the Nogales Chamber of Commerce, I was informed that Jessie Hendrix had died July 24, 2013 and the property had been sold. There is no longer a hummingbird attraction located at that site".

    We share this video in Jesse's honor- It is narrated by David Attenborough - BBC wildlife.

North America > United States > Arizona > Tucson

  • WOW - Wild Outdoor World of Arizona in Catalina. On their 3 acres along the Canada del Oro wash north of Tucson, Chris and MaryEllen have created a magnificent garden, grass, tree, and water oasis for birds and other wildlife.

    WOW Arizona is an educational non-profit corporation (501c3) committed to sharing environmental experiences and information that can be utilized in urban and rural applications. The 37 hummingbird feeders attract hundreds of hummers varying from 5-10 species throughout the year. The 32 other bird feeders and the water features bring in a rich plethora of species, and families of Greater Roadrunners, Cooper’s Hawks, Harris’s Hawks, and bobcats live on the property. Plants (200 species), birds (152 species), and mammals (25 species) have been documented.

    WOW Arizona is open to the public (by reservation only) for a $10 per person donation (may be reduced or waived for educational groups). Two B&B guest rooms are available at the facility. During hummer peak season (August and September), a patio “Breakfast with the Hummingbirds” is offered to groups of 6 or more (up to 12 total) for $25 per person that includes the $10 donation. Chef Chris offers up tasty Southwest scrambled eggs with homemade salsa, jalapeno-candied peppered bacon, scrumptious blueberry muffins, fresh fruit, and razmozas (home-brewed raspberry wine and orange juice). Chris and MaryEllen can also share their vast local knowledge of hiking, biking, birding, lepping, gardening, photography, and habitat restoration that can help you rediscover nature. For example, they have created extensive native plant lists for the Tucson/Southern Arizona area that are available for free as part of the educational mission of WOW Arizona. A trip to our area for birding, hummers, leps, plants, or nature in general will not be complete without a wow! visit to WOW Arizona.

  • A Tucson private residence located in the foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains about 8 miles north of downtown Tucson. At a elevation of 3,200 feet it has thirteen hummingbird feeders and has attracted eight hummingbird species.

  • Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum Founded in 1952, the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is widely recognized throughout the world as a model institution for innovative presentation and interpretation of native plants and animals featured together in ecological exhibits. The Museum is regularly listed as one of the top ten zoological parks in the world because of its unique approach in interpreting the complete natural history of a single region. Twelve miles west of Tucson. The hummingbird aviary offers close up view of seven species of hummingbirds. Wear something red (hat, lipstick, etc) and the birds will come right up to you.

North America > United States > Arizona > Sierra Vista

  • Beatty's Miller Canyon Apiary and Orchard Co. This website has some great info. World renown as the place to see hummers in a quiet apple orchard set in Miller Canyon National Forest.

    Beatty's holds the United States one (1) day hummingbird species record of fourteen (14) species of Hummingbirds: Allen's, Anna's, Berylline, Black-chinned, Blue-throated, Broad-billed, Broad-tailed, Calliope, Costa's, Lucifer, Magnificent, Rufous, Violet-crowned and White-eared (only place in the U.S.A. that you can almost be guaranteed to see whehum). The Berylline arrived 31 May. Best winter yard bird was a Male Eared Trogon.

  • Casa San Pedro is a nationally-acclaimed Arizona inn 90 miles from Tucson, near Ramsey Canyon, Bisbee, and Sierra Vista. The Inn is on 10 acres adjacent to the San Pedro River and Riparian National Conservation Area. 13 species of hums on checklist, thousands at peak population, mostly Black-chinned, hummer banding on site, good birding along desert riparian corridor. Here you can view 355 species of birds and hundreds of butterflies. Experts agree Casa de San Pedro is one of the most romantic Arizona getaways and the most upscale Southern Arizona Bed and Breakfast. Naturalists, bird watchers, history buffs and environmentalists herald the inn as a world-class accommodation with a heart.

  • Ramsey Canyon Inn, Ramsey Canyon Cabins & Nature Conservancy, located in the Huachuca Mountains within the Upper San Pedro River Basin in southeastern Arizona, is renowned for its outstanding scenic beauty and the diversity of its plant and animal life. This diversity is the result of the interplay of geology, biogeography, topography, and climate. 15 species of hummingbirds are known from the Huachucas as well as dozens of species whose geographical ranges lie mostly in Mexico. Southeastern Arizona is an ecological crossroads, where the Sierra Madre of Mexico, the Rocky Mountains, and the Sonoran and Chihuahuan deserts all come together. 

  • Ash Canyon B&B One of the best overall venues to relax in comfortable chairs and see the best assortment of hummingbirds and other canyon birds at all the feeders. Directions: Just off Hwy 92 and Turkey Track Road. 

  • Heartstone Mountain Retreat between Patagonia and Sierra Vista and adjacent to the Coronado National Forest. Nine species of hummingbirds reported.

North America > United States > Arizona > South East

  • Cave Creek Ranch is located inside Cave Creek Canyon, about a mile west of Portal, in the Chiricahua Mountains of southeast Arizona (about 3 hours southeast of Tucson, or 3 hours west of El Paso).

    At an elevation of 5,000 feet, the temperature in summer is generally 10 to 20 degrees cooler than Phoenix or Tucson. Winters are mild, but there is usually snow on the mountain. Fall color is spectacular. In spring and summer many rare Mexican birds come here to nest.

  • George Walker House Paradise/ near Portal, was a B&B in beautiful setting, 1,000+ hummers at peak, 14 species, is under new ownership by birders who may be carrying on with feeding hummingbirds.

  • Sunglow Ranch MAYBE CLOSED Set on 475 acres in southeastern Arizona. Seven (7) hummingbird species found at their feeders. Over 500 bird species, both migrant and resident, have been recorded in this unusually biodiverse, high-desert, grassland environment.

North America > United States > Arizona > Sedona

  • Sedona Cathedral Hideaway "We have many varieties of hummingbirds throughout the year: Anna’s, Black-Chinned, Ruby Throat, Broad-Billed, Costa’s, Magnificent, Rufous and Broad-Tailed. Some say they are God’s most creative gift of nature. While our guest is consuming their gourmet breakfast on the back deck, the hummers stay busy eating at the adjacent feeders. They must consume around 155,000 calories per day. Jealous? They stop by and look right at you like they are trying to give you some kind of special message from another dimension. When they zip by on both sides of your head and then turn around and sweetly chirp, you can’t help wonder if you are in the middle of a Disney movie".
  • Hummingbird Society The Hummingbird Society was created in 1996 as a nonprofit* organization to help people understand and appreciate hummingbirds and to provide a channel to help save the ones that are endangered.That sums it up well for the purpose of the Hummingbird Society's mission: teach people about hummingbirds, and they will understand them better; and from that understanding and caring, will come support for their protection.
  • Sedona Hummingbird Festival The 2020 festival has been canceled. 
Sedona hummingbird festival

North America > United States > Alabama

Fourteen (14) species recorded. List

  • Hummer Bird Study Group Fort Morgan Bird Banding Station is located in Fort Morgan State Historical Park and is operational for two weeks each spring and fall. 

North America > United States > California

Fourteen species recorded. List

  • UC Santa Cruz Arboretum - has a hummingbird trail and Hummingbird Day is the most-popular day for visitors at the Arboretum. Can usually see Allen's Hummingbirds.

  • San Diego Botanical Gardens - Bird and Butterfly Garden-Discover flowers and plants that attract butterflies and hummingbirds to your yard. Located by Hamilton Children’s Garden.

  • Cabrillo National Monument south of San Diego attracts many wintering hummers.

  • Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in southern CA, 600,000 acres, breeders include Anna's and Costa's, migrants include Rufous and others, spring wildflower blooms are incredible mid-Feb thru April.

  • Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Gardens, Claremont, claims to be the largest botanical garden dedicated exclusively to California native plants, has many outstanding water features for birds.

  • Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary, Irvine, in Modjeska Canyon, feeding hummers was started here in the 1920s by Mrs. Tucker using shot glasses containing sugar water, 12-acre site for educational use, features locally breeding species and spring/fall migrants.

  • Living Desert in Palm Springs once had hummers not sure now.

  • Sunnylands in Palm Springs. The Annenberg estate. Thu-Sun 9am-4pm. Free and the gardens are very nice. Especially when the wildflower field is in bloom. 

North America > United States > Texas

Nineteen (19) species recorded. List

  • Fennessey Ranch is part of a legendary 750,000 acre Texas land empire. Many hummingbirds during migration.

  • Big Bend National Park Lucifer nesting, Blue-throated overwintering.

  • Davis Mountain State Park Fort Davis, fifteen (15) species of hummers have been recorded

  • HummerBird Celebration Rockport/ Fulton, Annually in early September since 1988. Excellent speakers, tour hummer homes, birding trips by boat, etc.

  • Kennedy Residence, Rockport, their forty (40) feeders, attract 2,000 hummers during September peak, get Buff-bellies and 5 other species, have B&B for birders, 512-729-7009

  • Rio Frio Guesthouse, Rio Frio, in Texas Hill Country, features nesting Black-chinnned, migrating Rufous and Ruby-throats, 1,000+ hummers at peak, 210-735-1696

  • Quinta Mazatlan in McAllen. They have a hummingbird garden with examples of "Top 20” plants that will help you design your hummingbird garden."

  • The Hummer House in San Angelo is the summer home to Texas' largest concentration of breeding Black-chinned Hummingbirds.

    This video is especially interesting at minute 3:15-6:45 where the hummers are enjoying the fountain and mist spray.

North America > United States > New York

Five (5) species recorded. List

Baiting Hollow Hummingbird Sanctuary in Long Island.

Baiting Hollow hummingbird sanctuary is
closed to the public as part of a legal settlement.

Their blog is very informative and fun---http://lihummer.org

Their Facebook pages are interesting.

And another--- http://alongislandsummer.blogspot.com/2012/12/the-baiting-hollow-hummingbird-sanctuary.html

Paul Adams maintains his property along the bluffs in Baiting Hollow as a hummingbird sanctuary, where he gets what is, for Long Island, a fairly high level of hummingbird activity. During the month of August, when activity is usually good, he once allowed birders and other hummingbird enthusiasts to visit his property, at agreed times and under strict conditions.

Although his property is surrounded by hundreds of acres of undeveloped woods and fields, there are 3 neighboring residences, and owners of 2 of these houses very recently instituted a lawsuit against Paul and the hummingbird sanctuary.

The key contention of the lawsuit is that such a bird sanctuary is not permitted on residential property, since under the zoning the only permitted use is residential. If it were generally the case that property zoned for residential use only, whether currently developed or not, cannot be used as any type of bird sanctuary (in the sense that wild birds are allowed to frequent the property, and encouraged to do so by the natural features of that property), birding, one of America's most popular outdoor activities, would be severely restricted nationwide.

Of course the claims made in the lawsuit are probably absurd, but if Paul doesn't successfully defend himself against the suit, this would create a highly unfortunate precedent for birding throughout the country. Settlement

North America > United States > New Mexico

Seventeen (17) species recorded. List

  • El Malpais National Monument, Grants, huge stopover for northbound Broad-tails in May, dining on blooming Claret Cup and Paintbrush, also: Magnificent, Black-chinned, Calliope, Broad-tailed and Rufous Hummingbird. Near Continental Divide (7,000 ft)

  • Gandy Dancer B&B, Chama. Has a multitude of hummingbirds whizzing around your head that, as we were told, have been known to tap on the windows when they return from migration to alert John and Chris to get the feeders back out!

  • Rio Grande Nature Center, Albuquerque, has an annual hummingbird festival featuring hundreds of hummers in old bosque habitat, the Fest offers great talks (annually since 1994), and local expertise, 505-344-7240

  • Randall Davey Audubon Center Located in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the Randall Davey Audubon Center & Sanctuary encompasses 135 acres of striking landscapes and wildlife. Bounded by thousands of acres of National Forest and Santa Fe River Watershed land, the Center and Sanctuary provides a peaceful sanctuary for plants, animals and our visitors. Ranging from common to rare, approximately 190 species of birds can be found in or over the various ecosystems of this sanctuary.

  • River Dancer Inn, Jemez Springs, New Mexico, Relax under the canopy of majestic cottonwood trees while listening to the wind, chattering birds and the buzzing sounds of hummingbirds. Many Broad-tails during fall migration, beautiful area in north-central NM, 505-829-3262

  • Casa Escondida in Santa Fe

  • Ruidoso/Lincoln Area, May is officially 'Hummingbird Month in Ruidoso', but hummingbirds are here from April to October. Many Rufous hummers during fall migration. Feeders are everywhere in this area, beautiful vistas everywhere! Hummingbird Cabins

  • Santa Fe Greenhouses, is High Country Gardens, Santa Fe, was purchased in late 2012 by American Meadows, a company based in Vermont but the nursery headquarters have moved to Denver. Check out the other local nurserys for hummers.

  • Terrero General Store, The Tererro area has become the humingbird's breeding grounds and the amount of nectar used per summer has risen steadily from 800 pounds to 1,100 pounds. It has been estimated that over 2,000 hummingbirds will be at the Tererro General Store feeding each summer. Sherry Ley hangs large one gallon feeders along the eaves of the store and at the height of the season, in July, there will be eleven. These feeders are refilled twice daily. 

North America > United States > South Carolina

Ten (10) Species recorded. List
  • Hilton Pond Center for Piedmont Natural History is to conserve animals, plants, habitats, and other natural components of the Piedmont Region of the eastern United States through observation, scientific study, and education for students of all ages.

North America > Caribbean > Bonaire 

Two (2) species recorded. List

The Ruby Topaz hummingbird (Chrysolampis mosquitus) is the larger species. The male has an iridescent, brilliant red crown and an orange-gold throat, while the female has a dark bronze-green back.

The male Blue-tailed emerald hummingbird (Chlorostilbon mellisugus) is such a deep green that it can sometimes appear black. The female has a green back and head, with a white stripe over the eye.

North America > Caribbean > Trinidad & Tobago

Twenty (20) species recorded. List

The continental origin and proximity of Trinidad & Tobago to South America, along with its many varied habitats, has resulted in an unusually diverse fauna. The species lists for this island are impressive: 108 mammals; 400 birds (many hummingbirds); 55 reptiles; 25 amphibians; and 617 butterflies! No other area in the West Indies, and few if any areas of comparable size anywhere in tropical America, can match this spectacular diversity of species.

North America > Caribbean > Jamaica

Five (5) hummingbird species recorded. List
  • Rocklands Bird Sanctuary. (Facebook) Montego Bay. Hand-feed hummingbirds.Owned and run for many years by Lisa Salmon, and continues to be run as a sanctuary following her death. Her nephew Fitz is now in charge, and has been associated with the site for 15 years. The sanctuary is home to thousands of birds from Jamaica and migrant birds who have flown thousands of miles to feed here. 

    Jamaica has (four) 4 resident species of hummingbird: Red Billed Streamer-tail Hummingbird (aka Doctor Bird), Jamaican Mango, andVervain Hummingbird. Three (3) of which can be found at the Rocklands Sanctuary, but the fourth, the Black-billed Streamertail, is found only on the very eastern part of the island.

    Some are so tame that they will come straight to a handheld bottle of sugar water and some will even sit on your finger to feed. There’s an outdoor patio area where you can sit and watch birds such as the Jamaican Oriole using the feeders. The Common Ground-Dove and Caribbean Dove can be seen around the gardens, looking for the seed provided in the sanctuary.

North America > Caribbean > Cuba

Three (3) species recorded. List

The Bee Hummingbird is endemic to Cuba, and has a patchy distribution across the mainland and on the neighboring Isla de la Juventud. The bee hummingbird is primarily found within mature forests and at forest edges, where there are plenty of bushes, lianas and epiphytes. It is also known to inhabit mountain valleys, swamplands and gardens, and is occasionally recorded in open country. The bee hummingbird is classified as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List and listed on Appendix II of CITES 

North America > Caribbean > Mexico

Sixty (60) species recorded. List

Depending on your source, there are 336 to 356 species of hummingbirds. They live exclusively in the Western Hemisphere from Alaska to the tip of South America. Of the more than 60 species officially accepted as hummingbirds of Mexico and Northern Central America, over half are endemic to Mexico.

Hummingbirds have played a role in Aztec and Native American mythology for thousands of years. They have been portrayed as a healer or as a spirit being who helps people in need, and sometimes play the important mythological role of fire-bringer. In ancient Mexico, hummingbirds were considered sacred and associated with royalty and warriors. Even today, some Mexican tribes believe hummingbirds to be messengers from the afterworld or manifestations of a dead person’s spirit.