When do hummingbirds leave California?

The Anna's Hummingbird does not leave California: it is reported all year, from 34% of checklists in mid June to 48% in late September.

When is the best time to see hummingbirds in California?

The Anna's Hummingbird is reported most often in late September, on about 48% of California checklists.

Which hummingbirds are in California?

Anna's Hummingbird, Allen's Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Black-chinned Hummingbird, and Costa's Hummingbird are reported regularly; the Anna's Hummingbird is the most common.

5 hummingbird species in California

When Do Hummingbirds Arrive in California?

Photo: Claude Lyneis, CC0 1.0 via iNaturalist

Anna's Hummingbirds, Allen's Hummingbirds, and Rufous Hummingbirds are the hummingbirds you are most likely to see in California. The Anna's Hummingbird is in California all year. It turns up on about 48% of checklists at its peak (late September) and on 34% in its quietest week (mid June).

When to look

PresentAll year

Peak weekSep 22-30late September

Quietest weekJun 15-21mid June

Best: late September. Here all year. Peak: on about 48% of California checklists.

Janpeak season
Febpeak season
Marpeak season
Aprpeak season
Maypeak season
Junpeak season
Julpeak season
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Novpeak season
Decpeak season

Darker months: more checklists report it. Outlined: peak month.

Hummingbirds in California, species by species

Species	First arrivals	Common by	Peak	Most gone by	Peak %
Anna's Hummingbird	all year	–	Sep 22-30	–	48%
Allen's Hummingbird	all year	–	May 15-21	–	17%
Rufous Hummingbird	Mar 1-7	Mar 1-7	Apr 8-14	May 1-7	4.7%
Black-chinned Hummingbird	Apr 1-7	Apr 8-14	May 1-7	Sep 8-14	4.2%
Costa's Hummingbird	all year	–	Apr 22-30	–	3.1%

Anna's Hummingbird
Allen's Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Black-chinned Hummingbird

Share of complete checklists reporting each species, by week (4 per month). Gaps: fewer than 10 checklists that week.

Frequency is the share of complete checklists in California that listed the bird, 2016–2025. It is not a head count, and it follows where and when people go birding. How to read it.

Where in California

Best counties for Anna's Hummingbird

Share of checklists at the peak

San Francisco CountyBest mid September · 3785 checklists that week, 130,018 in all73%
Contra Costa CountyBest mid April · 2471 checklists that week, 115,071 in all67%
Sacramento CountyBest late August · 2548 checklists that week, 121,767 in all66%
Santa Clara CountyBest late March · 5948 checklists that week, 201,483 in all65%
Santa Cruz CountyBest early October · 3112 checklists that week, 140,819 in all62%
San Joaquin CountyBest the second week of September · 509 checklists that week, 33,237 in all62%

Common questions

When do hummingbirds arrive in California?: The Anna's Hummingbird is in California all year. It turns up on about 48% of checklists at its peak (late September) and on 34% in its quietest week (mid June).
When do hummingbirds leave California?: The Anna's Hummingbird does not leave California: it is reported all year, from 34% of checklists in mid June to 48% in late September.
When is the best time to see hummingbirds in California?: The Anna's Hummingbird is reported most often in late September, on about 48% of California checklists.
Which hummingbirds are in California?: Anna's Hummingbird, Allen's Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Black-chinned Hummingbird, and Costa's Hummingbird are reported regularly; the Anna's Hummingbird is the most common.