where do hummingbirds migrate to

Most hummingbirds migrate from their breeding grounds in North America to warmer areas of Mexico, Central America, and, for some species, northern South America for the winter.

Main migration destinations

• Many North American hummingbirds spend winter in Mexico and Central America , where flowers and insects are available year‑round.

• Ruby-throated Hummingbirds breed in eastern North America and migrate to the tropics of Central America and the Yucatán region , with some crossing the Gulf of Mexico in a single nonstop flight.

• Some Ruby-throated Hummingbirds may remain along the U.S. Gulf Coast (Texas to Florida) where winters are mild.

• Rufous Hummingbirds breed as far north as the Pacific Northwest and Alaska and then travel thousands of miles to spend winter mainly in Mexico and the southern U.S. (southern California, Arizona, Texas).

• Calliope and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds migrate between high-elevation breeding areas in the western U.S. and Canada and wintering grounds in the highlands of Mexico and parts of Central America (e.g., Guatemala, Belize).

• A few populations, especially in parts of California, the Pacific Coast, and Central/South America , are largely non‑migratory and stay in the same general region all year.

In short, when you see “your” hummingbirds disappear in fall, they are usually heading south toward Mexico and Central America, with some species continuing into northern South America, while a small number overwinter along mild coastal areas of the southern United States.