If you enjoy those blink-and-you-miss-it backyard visits from ruby throated hummingbirds, the season is about to start feeling real. Spring migration ramps up fast along the Gulf Coast in late February through March, then keeps pushing north through April and May.
For North Alabama that means two things can be true at once... you might spot an early scout sooner than you expected and you can miss the best window if you wait until you see one.
What’s happening right now
Ruby throated hummingbirds spend winter mostly in Mexico and Central America with some lingering along parts of the Gulf Coast. When it is time to head north, many cross the Gulf of Mexico or move around it using coastal routes.
Early arrivals in the Deep South tend to show up first, often males, then the rest follow as conditions improve.
Why you need to know
1) They run on a tight fuel budget
Hummingbirds have a high metabolism and they refuel constantly. Early in the season, cold snaps and delayed blooms can make natural nectar less reliable. Putting out a feeder on time can help bridge those gaps.
2) The first week is the easiest time to attract them
Once a hummingbird finds a dependable yard, it will often incorporate it into a daily route. Being “open for business” early is a simple way to increase your chances all season.
3) You can avoid common backyard mistakes
Most hummingbird problems in spring are human-made... spoiled nectar, dirty feeders, bees taking over or feeders placed where birds are stressed by predators or window strikes.
4) When to put out a feeder in North Alabama
A practical rule that birding outlets and ornithologists recommend is to set feeders out by late February to early March along the Gulf Coast and the Deep South, then adjust for your local weather. For Alabama, many guides place the main arrival window around the second week of March.
If you are in Madison or Huntsville and you wait until mid March, you will probably still catch them. If you put one out earlier, you are more likely to catch the first wave and help a tired traveler that got pushed north by warm weather.
How to set your yard up the right way
Make safe nectar
Use a simple mix of 1 part white sugar to 4 parts water. Skip red dye.
Keep it clean
In warm weather, nectar can spoil quickly. Clean the feeder regularly and replace nectar more often when temperatures climb.
Beat the bees and ants
Pick a feeder with bee guards and consider an ant moat. If bees take over, hummingbirds often give up on that feeder.
Place it where hummingbirds feel secure
Hang feeders near cover like shrubs or small trees, but not so close that cats can ambush. If you have big reflective windows nearby, add window decals or move the feeder to reduce collision risk.
A simple “Madison checklist” for this week
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- Wash last year’s feeder and check for cracks
- Mix a fresh batch of nectar
- Hang one feeder in a visible spot and one in a more sheltered spot
- Note your first sighting date
- Share sightings with a migration tracker if you like following the wave north
One more fun detail
Ruby throated hummingbirds do not all take the same route. Some go straight across the Gulf. Some hug the coastline. Either way, North Alabama sits close enough to the action that your yard can become a reliable pit stop.
Sources
1. Lilly investor announcement: https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/lilly-build-6-billion-facility-manufacture-active-pharmaceutical
2. Reuters report on the Huntsville API plant: https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/eli-lilly-build-6-billion-alabama-plant-part-us-manufacturing-push-2025-12-09/
3. City of Huntsville announcement on the investment: https://www.huntsvilleal.gov/eli-lilly-announces-6-billion-pharmaceutical-manufacturing-investment-in-huntsville/
4. City of Huntsville development agreement vote page: https://www.huntsvilleal.gov/huntsville-city-council-to-vote-on-eli-lilly-project-development-agreement/
5. Huntsville Business Journal on council approval and deal terms: https://huntsvillebusinessjournal.com/news/2026/02/17/huntsville-city-council-approves-6-billion-eli-lilly-development-agreement-also-moves-toward-first-phase-of-skybridge-project/
6. Alabama Governor announcement: https://governor.alabama.gov/newsroom/2025/12/governor-ivey-announces-pharmaceutical-giant-lilly-plans-6-billion-advanced-manufacturing-plant-in-huntsville/
7. Rocket City Now coverage of the council vote and terms: https://www.rocketcitynow.com/article/news/local/huntsville-city-council-eli-lilly-project-6-billion-jobs-campus-development/525-6dc56753-5769-4afa-9f35-c5c61926b9d7
