Hummingbirds are ‘on the go’ in SLO County. Here’s what you’ll see and how to attract them

Sarah Linn
·5 min read

Whether sipping nectar from flowers and zipping through the air, hummingbirds are a sure sign of spring in San Luis Obispo County.

The itty-bitty birds are busy breeding and building nests, which means there are plenty of opportunities to view them in action.

“They’re very entertaining to watch,” said Andrea Jones, senior director of conservation at Audubon California. “They’re just on the go all the time. I think that’s the funnest part — just watching them whizzing around.”

Of the 16 species of hummingbirds listed in the National Audubon Society’s Guide to North American Birds, six can be spotted in California, Jones said.

“We’re pretty lucky on the Central Coast because we get to see hummingbirds year-round,” said Torrey Gage-Tomlinson, program director for Morro Coast Audubon.

Here are the kinds of hummingbirds you might see in SLO County, how to identify them and how to attract them:

The Anna’s hummingbird, instantly recognizable thanks to its bright pink head, is considered the “quintessential California hummingbird,” according to Andrea Jones, senior director of conservation at Audobon California.
The Anna’s hummingbird, instantly recognizable thanks to its bright pink head, is considered the “quintessential California hummingbird,” according to Andrea Jones, senior director of conservation at Audobon California.

Which hummingbird species can I see in SLO County?

If you see a colorful hummingbird darting through your garden, experts say, there’s a good chance it’s an Anna’s hummingbird.

“Anna’s is the most common hummingbird to see in California with the biggest range,” Jones said. “They’ve really done a good job of taking advantage of backyard habitats. They’re a lot more adaptable because of that.”

Male Anna’s hummingbirds are easily identifiable thanks to their “iridescent emerald feathers and sparkling rose-pink throats,” according to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s All About Birds site.

An Anna’s hummingbird’s beautiful hues are generated by microscopic platelet structures on its feathers, which give the appearance of changing color from different angles.
An Anna’s hummingbird’s beautiful hues are generated by microscopic platelet structures on its feathers, which give the appearance of changing color from different angles.

As with most bird species, male hummingbirds tend to be flashier and easier to spot than females.

You might also recognize Anna’s hummingbirds due to the distinctive noises they make, including a song “sounds like someone’s crinkling up foil or grinding gears,” Gage-Tomlinson said.

“In their thrilling courtship displays, males climb up to 130 feet into the air and then swoop to the ground with a curious burst of noise that they produce through their tail feathers,” the Cornell Lab said.

Gage-Tomlinson described the sound as a “cross between a bird chirp and a referee whistle.”

The coppery orange-and-green Allen’s hummingbird can be found along the Pacific Coast. Although some birds migrate to Mexico, others can be found in California year-round.
The coppery orange-and-green Allen’s hummingbird can be found along the Pacific Coast. Although some birds migrate to Mexico, others can be found in California year-round.

The Allen’s hummingbird is typically spotted year-round in SLO County, mostly on the coast.

Male Allen’s hummingbirds have brilliant reddish-orange throats, orange bellies and green backs.

These birds also make elaborate moves to attract mates, the Cornell Lab said, “swinging in pendulous arcs before climbing high into the sky and diving back down ...”

A rufous hummingbird searches for food in northern Montana.
A rufous hummingbird searches for food in northern Montana.

Visually, Allen’s hummingbirds share some similarities with rufous hummingbirds, which are rusty orange all over.

In the spring, rufous hummingbirds migrate through California on their way to their breeding grounds in the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia and southern Alaska. They swing back through the Golden State in the fall before wintering in Mexico.

You’re more likely to spot a black-chinned hummingbird or Costa’s hummingbird in parts of eastern SLO County, such as Paso Robles, Santa Margarita Lake and Carrizo Plain.

The Costa’s hummingbird is typically found in desert climates in the American Southwest and parts of Mexico. Male hummingbirds have bright purple feathers on their heads and throats.
The Costa’s hummingbird is typically found in desert climates in the American Southwest and parts of Mexico. Male hummingbirds have bright purple feathers on their heads and throats.

Male black-chinned hummingbirds have black heads with shimmering strips of purple at the chin, the Cornell Lab said, while male Costa’s hummingbirds boast iridescent purple throat feathers that jut out like “an overgrown mustache.”

If you’re lucky, you might catch a glimpse of a migrating calliope hummingbird, the smallest bird in the United States. Male birds sport rays of magenta feathers on their throats.

“This tiny little thing goes into Central Mexico and then goes all the way into Canada,” Jones said. “They’re considered long-distance migrants.”

Gage-Tomlinson described calliope hummingbirds as small yet spunky.

“Of all the birds, they might have the most attitude,” he said. “They can get into very heated arguments about whose flower is whose.”

The calliope hummingbird is the smallest bird in the United States. The tiny hummingbird passes through California on its annual migration from the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia to central Mexico.
The calliope hummingbird is the smallest bird in the United States. The tiny hummingbird passes through California on its annual migration from the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia to central Mexico.

What are hummingbirds doing in spring? Summer?

Hummingbirds spend the first part of spring looking for mates and nesting materials — and establishing their territories, Gage-Tomlinson said.

“This is really the peak season for observing hummingbirds,” he said, because they’re so active. “They’re really starting to flourish right now.”

The birds start laying eggs and raising young in April and May.

Hummingbirds line up of a drink of sugar water.
Hummingbirds line up of a drink of sugar water.

Around May or June, the young hummingbirds will leave the nest, he explained.

In late summer, fall and winter, hummingbirds spend most of their time flitting from flower to flower as they feed.

“They’re very important pollinators,” Gage-Tomlinson said.

The black-chinned hummingbird is found in a variety of environments across the West.
The black-chinned hummingbird is found in a variety of environments across the West.

How can I attract hummingbirds to my garden or backyard?

Planting native plants is the best way to bring hummingbirds to your garden or backyard, experts say.

To find out which plants grow best in your area, check out the National Audubon Society’s Plants for Birds database. Type in your five-digit ZIP code and you’ll get a list of native flowers, grasses, shrubs and trees and the birds they attract.

In San Luis Obispo, the Audubon Society suggests planting species such as black sage, coyote mountainbalm, scarlet monkey flower and white-leaf bush lupine to attract hummingbirds.

Paso Robles residents might want to try cardinal catchfly, crimson columbine or hummingbird-trumpet, also known as California fuchsia.

A hummingbird feeds in Atascadero.
A hummingbird feeds in Atascadero.

Gage-Tomlinson also suggested hummingbird sage and pink flowering currant as options.

Folks with limited outdoor space can hang up hummingbird feeders filled with a sugar-water solution, Jones said.

“My biggest suggestion is to not use food dye” because it’s bad for birds, she said. “There’s no need to introduce chemicals into their little tiny systems.”

You should be diligent about cleaning your feeder, Gage-Tomlinson said, noting that “some illnesses can spread that way. Wash it each time you fill it.”

A baby hummingbird is seen in a nest in Shandon..
A baby hummingbird is seen in a nest in Shandon..

How else can I help birds?

Although you’re unlikely to stumble upon a hummingbird nest by chance — “They’re absolutely tiny,” Jones said — you may notice nesting birds’ behavior.

“If you start to see a bird going back and forth” from a particular spot, Jones said, “You need to stay away from it as much as possible. They’re very susceptible to disturbance.”

A hummingbird is in flight in Paso Robles.
A hummingbird is in flight in Paso Robles.

You should also keep pets away — especially your feline friends.

“The best option for cats and for birds is to keep the cats inside,” Jones said. “They do a lot of damage to bird populations.”

You can also help hummingbirds by providing them with clean drinking water, Jones said.

“You don’t have to create a fancy fountain — just a low bucket with some rocks and water in it,” she explained.

A hummingbird checks out the camera in Paso Robles.
A hummingbird checks out the camera in Paso Robles.