Get ready to spot hundreds of hummingbirds flying over Wisconsin
Hummingbirds are beginning their seasonal migration out of Wisconsin. Here’s what you need to know about these tiny travelers.
Blink and you might miss them! The hummingbirds that flocked to Wisconsin during the springtime are going to be making their way out of the state in late August. Their migration season (which sees them flying south toward warmer weather) will stretch into October. The tiny travelers typically set out once they sense a change in daytime hours, as well as in the availability of insects, flowers, and nectar. Male hummingbirds lead the migration, and they tend to head for certain areas of Central America and Mexico, though some do wind up on the southern coast of Florida, too.
Once they make their way out of the state, you likely won’t see them again until the spring migration season starts in early May of 2026. If you currently have a hummingbird feeder in your yard, don’t worry, you don’t have to take the feeder down after October if you don’t want to. The Audubon Society says that as long as the nectar doesn’t freeze and you keep your feeder clean, you can leave it up for any stragglers, or any hummingbird species that are typically considered out-of-range for Wisconsin that might be passing through.
And, if you want to keep track of the hummingbirds as they fly out of the Badger State and toward warmer skies, it’s very easy to do.
Here’s how you can track the hummingbirds’ fall migration
The easiest way to track hummingbirds is through Hummingbird Central’s sightings map, which you can view here. As of writing, there have been reported sightings in Wausau, Stevens Point, Wisconsin Rapids, and Wisconsin Dells. If you live outside these areas and want to report a hummingbird sighting yourself, you can do so by clicking this link. You’ll just need to follow Hummingbird Central’s guidelines to ensure you’re providing accurate, usable information.
A variety of other sites allow you to track and report daily bird sightings, meaning you can log numerous species, not just the hummingbirds. Each option will be hyperlinked to their name:
- Wisconsin Society of Ornithology
- The Great Backyard Bird Count
- Wisconsin eBird
- Report a rare bird to the Wisconsin Natural Heritage Inventory
If you unfortunately happen to see a sickly or dead bird, you can report that to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources here.
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