Hummingbirds Have Made Their Return To Illinois

ILLINOIS, IL — Hummingbirds have arrived in Illinois and could be showing up in backyards any day now, the Forest Preserve District of Will County shared on its website.

There are two citizen science projects that show hummingbirds' migratory journey: Hummingbird Central and Journey North.

According to Journey North, one report was submitted of a hummingbird spotted April 8 in Palos Park. Several more sightings were reported right at the Illinois boundaries in nearby states like Kentucky and Missouri.

Their arrival in Illinois is right on scheduled for the tiny birds, according to the forest preserve. Generally, we start seeing hummingbirds in Will County around the middle of April, and they should be here in full force by May.

The hummingbird feeders in the bird-feeding area at the Forest Preserve's Plum Creek Nature Center are put out on April 15 each year to ensure any early-arriving birds have a source of nectar, the preserve said.

Ruby-throated hummingbirds will migrate all the way up into Canada, so even if you spot one locally, that doesn't mean that particular bird is going to be sticking around, the preserve said. Instead, it may just be making a pit stop.