By Ryan McGeeney
U of A System Division of Agriculture
While many Arkansas hummingbird lovers have typically filled their first feeders in mid-April, extension experts say the best way to support the migration is to hang those feeders with the first signs of spring, if not earlier. And in 2025, “earlier” is even sooner than you think.
Ruby-throated hummingbirds have already been sighted across the southeastern United States, from eastern Texas to Florida, according to Hummingbird Central, a hub for volunteer hummingbird migration sightings. The group’s 2025 migration page shows about a dozen sightings in Arkansas, including one as far north as Russellville.
Sherri Sanders, White County agricultural extension agent for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said the mid-April “rule of thumb” is likely based on a common misunderstanding of the spring gardening checklist.
“People wait until April 15 or so to put out their hummingbird feeders, I think because they correlate that with planting warm-season vegetables,” Sanders said. “But we need them out about a month before that, because our little babies are coming through Arkansas on their way to Canada.
“We need to get the word out to help them with a pit stop so they can refuel,” she said.
In a blog post for the Cooperative Extension Service, Sanders recommended several prime locations for viewing hummingbirds in Arkansas, including Mount Magazine State Park, Petit Jean State Park, Hot Springs State Park and the Buffalo National River.
And of course, backyard gardens are always a great way to welcome in the migratory beauty. Sanders recommended planting native flowers, avoiding pesticides, providing shelter with trees and shrubs and maintaining water sources such as bird baths and fountains.
Becky McPeake, extension wildlife biologist for the Division of Agriculture, said the occasional burst of unseasonably warm air from the south may drive the birds north ahead of their expected migration schedule.
“Hummingbirds are going to follow the weather,” McPeake said. “So if there’s enough nectar for them to consume, enough plants blooming, they’re just following the weather north in the spring.”
Both Sanders and McPeake said that Arkansans who haven’t put their feeders out already should make it a point to do so as soon as possible.
“There’s concern for birds in general, that there’s been a downward trend in population,” McPeake said. “Hummingbirds not only eat nectar, but also occasionally eat insects — so the perception that insect populations are decreasing also has implications for our songbirds, including the hummingbird.”
McPeake recommends a sugar-to-water ratio of 1:4. Red dye isn’t necessary to attract the birds, she said, and can in fact be harmful to them.
“Go ahead and put your feeder out early,” she said. “You might have to clean it a few times and replenish the sugar, but you’ll be ready when they come through, whenever that might be. Look for the signs of spring, such as blooming flowers. That’s when you need to have your feeders out.”
McPeake and Sanders said hummingbird lovers should also keep watch for the southern migration, which occurs in September and October, as flocks return south.
“We ask that people keep their feeders out later in the year, until there are no hummingbirds seen,” McPeake said. “People don’t need to take their feeders down by any certain date — they just need to watch their feeders and keep them up until there just aren’t any stragglers.
“Some of these birds are heading south from as far north as Canada,” she said. “They need to stop and replenish themselves for a few days before they continue their journey south.”
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
