Bird of the Month | June 2026
Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Archilochus colubris
Ruby-throated Hummingbird, female. Photo: Robert Black/Audubon Photography Awards
syrupy sweet sucker
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is the most commonly found hummingbird in Florida, and the only hummingbird to breed in eastern North America. Male hummingbirds will court females that enter their territory by showing off their ruby-red plumage in arcs and dives. They're typically not very vocal, but they may communicate in high-pitched chatter and short "pips" during courtship or if they feel threatened.
Males are the first to arrive in spring, and are the first to leave for South America or Mexico in the fall. Two weeks later, the females will follow. In North Florida, you'll be able to find them in their habitats of open woodlands, meadows, forest edges, grasslands, parks, gardens, and backyards from through October.
If you'd like to attract the Ruby-throated Hummingbird to your backyard, some of their favorite flowers include Coral honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens), Red buckeye (Aesculus pavia), Coralbean (Erythrina herbacea), Firebush (Hamelia patens), and Trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans).
