Teeny hummingbirds are on the way to Kansas. When you’ll spot them and how to feed

Lindsay Smith
·2 min read

It’s almost time for a popular bird to return to Kansas for the spring and summer seasons.

Hummingbirds migrate to Kansas in mid-April, according to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks. There are 319 species of hummingbirds, but only 15 of those can be found in the Americas.

Eleven different species have been spotted in Kansas, according to Mike Rader, wildlife education supervisor at the Department of Wildlife and Parks, but there’s only one species that’s common in all areas of the state.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds are the most common in Kansas. The birds are an emerald green color with gray/white underparts, according to AllAboutBirds.org. Males can be spotted by their bright red neck.

The birds are small, just 3.5 inches long and weigh about 4.5 grams.

This species migrates to the state in mid-April and are around until October. Males typically leave earlier, around July, according to Rader. The birds spend winter in warmer places, like the Gulf Coast and Mexico.

To take a look at where hummingbirds are in their migration, use Hummingbird Central’s migration map, which updates hourly.

Other types of hummingbirds in Kansas

Kansas has 10 types of hummingbirds beyond the prevalent ruby-throated, according to the state Department of Wildlife and Parks. They include:

  • Calliope hummingbird

  • Black-chinned hummingbird

  • Broad-tailed hummingbird

  • Broad-billed hummingbird

  • Rufous hummingbird

  • Anna’s hummingbird

  • Costa’s hummingbird

To see other species spotted in Kansas and when/where the sightings occurred, visit the website EBird, which reports bird species sightings.

How to attract hummingbirds to your Kansas yard

Hummingbirds expend a lot of energy, so they usually feed themselves every ten minutes. A popular way to attract them to your backyard is to provide food.

The tiny birds are attracted to bright colors — specifically red and orange. Feeders are commonly bright red in color and hold sugar water as the nectar.

The Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute recommends you mix one cup of sugar with four cups of water for hummingbird food. They also recommend changing the sugar water out every other day and cleaning the feeder every time.

Keep your feeder in a semi-protected place to avoid rain that can dilute the nectar. The state Department of Wildlife and Parks also recommends avoiding direct sunlight, which can dilute the sugar water.

If attracting ants becomes a problem, the department says to cover the hanging wire with salad oil. You can also use a bee guard to deter bees.

Here are some plants hummingbirds are attracted to, according to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks:

  • Petunia

  • Lady in Red Salvia

  • Traditional Red Salvia

  • Aquilegia

  • Digitalis

  • Phlox

  • Agastache

  • Cannas

  • Abelia

  • Mimosa

  • Rose of Sharon

  • Weigala

  • Honeysuckle Trumpet

  • Honeysuckle Cardinal

  • Climber