September 5

National Hummingbird Day

Celebrate National Hummingbird Day with a visit to your local park - watch these beautiful birds flutter around and enjoy the sights!

Yearly Date

First Saturday in September

Observed in

United States

Introduction

Celebrate the beauty and grace of hummingbirds on National Hummingbird Day, which falls on the first Saturday in September. This special day was established to honor these amazing creatures, which have been around for more than 40 million years! They are some of the smallest birds in the world, yet they can fly up to 60 miles per hour and travel thousands of miles each year during migrations. If you're lucky enough to spot a hummingbird, you know how magical it is – so why not take part in National Hummingbird Day and enjoy their beauty and wonder?

National Hummingbird Day Timeline

1924

Discovery of Hummingbirds

Scientists in the 1920s first identified over 330 individual species of hummingbirds, acknowledging them as some of the most unique and visually captivating birds on the planet.

1950s

Extensive Research

Extensive scientific research was conducted on hummingbirds throughout the 1950s, revealing incredible insights about their high metabolism, rapid heartbeat, and unique hovering flight capabilities.

1989

Hummingbird General Awareness

During the late 1980s, awareness about hummingbirds increased globally as they started getting depicted widely in popular culture, including movies, paintings, and literature.

2001

First National Hummingbird Day

The inaugural National Hummingbird Day was celebrated on the first Saturday in September in 2001 to honor and appreciate these wonderful creatures and promote their conservation.

2016

Cultural Impact

The hummingbird's cultural impact, including its symbolic associations with joy, playfulness, and adaptability, was recognized in various societies, influencing arts, literature, and spirituality.

How to Celebrate National Hummingbird Day

1 Hang a feeder

Hang a hummingbird feeder in your yard or garden. Make sure to fill it with the proper food mixture and change it out every few days.

2 Plant flowers

Choose flowering plants that hummingbirds like and plant them around your garden or yard. Some favorites include petunias, foxgloves, bee balm, and columbine.

3 Go birdwatching

Head to your local park or nature reserve and spend the day looking for hummingbirds. Pack a lunch, bring some binoculars, and see how many hummingbirds you can spot.

4 Make a craft

Make a hummingbird craft out of paper, fabric, or clay. You can make your own hummingbird decorations or ornaments to hang in your home or garden.

5 Attend an event

Check out local events celebrating hummingbirds. Many parks and nature centers host educational programs about hummingbirds and their habitats.

Why We Love National Hummingbird Day

Hummingbirds are beautiful and mesmerizing

When you see a hummingbird flying gracefully in the sky or hovering around your garden, it's hard not to be captivated! Their tiny feathers take on all sorts of vibrant colors, so watching them can be a incredibly calming and peaceful experience.

Hummingbirds help pollinate flowers

Hummingbirds are important pollinators for many of our wildflowers. They visit countless blossoms everyday in search of nectar, which they need to survive. As they feed, they spread pollen among plants - making them vital to the health of ecosystems worldwide!

Hummingbirds are amazing survivors

The small size of hummingbirds may make them seem fragile, but these little birds are actually quite tough. They can travel hundreds of miles in one day looking for food, and some species have even been known to fly nonstop over the Pacific Ocean from Canada to Mexico!