Here’s when hummingbirds leave Ontario! (to migrate south)
Unfortunately, hummingbirds don’t live in Ontario year-round. 🙁
At the end of every summer, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (the only common species in the state) depart Ontario to migrate south to southern Mexico and Central America. They spend the winter here in the warm weather before coming back next spring!
So when exactly do hummingbirds leave Ontario?
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds start their southward migration once their breeding season ends. It’s believed that they can sense the changes in the reduced number of daylight hours, flowers, and insects, which triggers their instinct to leave Ontario.
This means that most hummingbirds leave Ontario by the end of August or early September. By mid-September, almost all birds are gone, and they won’t return again until spring.
- RELATED: 38 PROVEN Tips For Attracting Hummingbirds! (UPDATED Guide)
But keep your eyes open for any hummingbirds that started their migration late. It’s not uncommon to see a straggler passing through Ontario towards the end of September, especially if they started their migration from much higher north!
I’m guessing that the reason you wanted to know when hummingbirds leave Ontario is that you were curious when you can put away your feeders for the winter?
Here’s what I always recommend:
Don’t take down your feeders until you haven’t seen a hummingbird for TWO weeks.
Once that happens, you can be very confident that almost all the hummingbirds in Ontario have left for the year!
Trust me; you definitely don’t want to take away the nectar in your yard too early. Hummingbirds migrate a LONG way and need lots of ENERGY, which you can hopefully provide to them.
When do you normally see the last hummingbirds leave Ontario?
Let us know in the COMMENTS section below!
September 25 and there’s a hummingbird still feeding every day. I am kind of worried about him. I am in southwestern ontario
Sw Ontario here also and we have a pair of immature birds that visit the feeder a few times a day still
I just had a visit tonight. Lonion Ontario
I still have one hummingbird that is at my feeder every day. Saw him this morning again. I thought it might be a young one from the family that was here. But in reading your article, it seems he may be a straggler coming down from the north ?
Oh. I’m in Bethany, Ontario
Saw a hummingbird today in Southern Algonquin region at our cottage.
September 17/2023 – Gravenhurst. Still seeing the odd Hummingbird feeding on our garden plants.
I live in Hamilton. Today is October 13th,and I still have a hummingbird coming to the feeder every day. I’ve read that I’m not prolonging its migration by leaving the feeder up, but I’m worried this little one seems to be in no hurry to leave.
It is October 3 in Burlington. I have a hummer who is feeding on my “amante” tropical salvias, which i ordered from a Vancouver nursery. These plants are such a magnet that the birds ignore my feeders for the most part. These plants should be offered more readily by Ontario nurseries. Salvia “amante” is related to Salvia “Amistad.”
I’ve had about 4 hummers here in Brantford Ontario fighting over the two feeders and drinking almost nonstop for several days during cold rainy weather. This afternoon the sun came out and I haven’t seen any of them. Maybe better traveling weather now.
Live in Keswick. Just had a hummingbird at my feeder 10 minutes ago. I actually hadn’t seen one in over a week and thought I’d take it down on Oct. 1st, but now with this little fella I guess I better leave it up for another week or two. J
Just north of Lake Ontario. No hummingbirds sighted for five days now.
I’ve had daily visits from hummingbirds all summer, but I didn’t see one yesterday and none so far this morning….maybe they have gone south!
I live in Lindsay and still have one to 2 hummingbirds Ontarioveft when should I expect them to leave
Im in Bobcaygeon next door. Always sad to see them go. Ill leave up mid Sept at least.
September 3, no hummingbirds at my feeder all day….