Midwest · Mississippi Flyway
Hummingbirds in Michigan
Hummingbirds in Michigan come down to 3 species with regular eBird records, led by the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Together they account for 95,984 of the 20 million eBird records from 2020–2024 — 0.5% of everything reported in the state.
The full list: Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird and Black-chinned Hummingbird. Hummingbirds are the smallest birds in North America and the only ones that routinely hover. They feed on flower nectar and small insects, and almost every species is migratory, so which hummingbirds you see — and when — depends heavily on where you live.
Hummingbirds in Michigan: every species, most-reported first
Every hummingbird with at least 25 eBird records in the state from 2020–2024, most-reported first. The status label is derived from each species’ own monthly share of all state records.
1. Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) — 95,768 records, 0.5% of the state’s eBird total; a summer visitor, present mainly from May to September and peaking in August.
2. Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) — 136 records, 0.00% of the state’s eBird total; a passage migrant, reported mainly in October with a peak in October.
3. Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri) — 80 records, 0.00% of the state’s eBird total; a passage migrant, reported mainly in October and November with a peak in October.
When to see hummingbirds in Michigan
Adding up every species’ share of state eBird records month by month, hummingbirds are most prominent in August, September and July and least in December and March. None of the 3 species is a year-round resident, so the timing below is everything.
Summer visitors. Ruby-throated Hummingbird arrives around May and is mostly gone after September (peak August).
Passage migrants. Rufous Hummingbird is reported mainly in October; Black-chinned Hummingbird is reported mainly in October and November.
Attracting hummingbirds to Michigan backyards
A clean nectar feeder (plain sugar water, no dye) and native tubular flowers are the two things that reliably bring hummingbirds into a yard. Put feeders up a couple of weeks before the first arrivals listed below and keep them up until the last departures.
In Michigan the hummingbird most likely to turn up is the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Its own page covers month-by-month activity and attraction tips for this state.
Hummingbirds in Michigan: FAQ
How many species of hummingbirds are there in Michigan?
3 species of hummingbirds have regular eBird records in Michigan (at least 25 records in 2020–2024): Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird and Black-chinned Hummingbird.
What is the most common hummingbird in Michigan?
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird, with 95,768 eBird records in 2020–2024, followed by the Rufous Hummingbird with 136. It is a summer visitor, present mainly from May to September and peaking in August.
When is the best time to see hummingbirds in Michigan?
August, September and July, when the combined share of Michigan eBird records belonging to hummingbirds is highest. Summer visitors such as the Ruby-throated Hummingbird arrive around May.
Are there hummingbirds in Michigan?
Yes. the Ruby-throated Hummingbird (95,768 eBird records, summer visitor), the Rufous Hummingbird (136 eBird records, migration) and the Black-chinned Hummingbird (80 eBird records, migration) are regularly recorded in Michigan.
More birds in Michigan
Hummingbirds in other states
Hummingbirds in Michigan: sources
Every number on this page comes from the EOD – eBird Observation Dataset published by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and distributed through GBIF under a CC BY 4.0 license: Michigan records from 2020–2024, retrieved 2026-09-18. Species are drawn from the families Trochilidae; only species with at least 25 records are listed, and a species is called a year-round resident when its monthly share of state records stays above 30% of its own peak in ten or more months. “Records” are individual eBird observations, so they reflect how often birders report a species, not a population count.