Wyoming carries outsized weight for one particular hummingbird species: the Wyoming Game and Fish Department estimates roughly 3% of the entire global population of Calliope Hummingbirds — about 70,000 birds — breeds right here in the state's mountain meadows. And in a fun bit of trivia, the oldest known wild hummingbird ever recorded in the United States was a female Broad-tailed Hummingbird that lived to be 12 years old, a genuine record-holder among a group of birds not exactly famous for longevity.

Whether you're gardening in Cheyenne, Jackson Hole, or a ranch yard on the high plains, this guide will walk you through everything you need to turn your space into a Wyoming hummingbird destination: who's around and when, how to size your setup to any space, feeder and nectar care, pest-safe cleaning, and the native plants and wildflower seed varieties that thrive in Wyoming's climate.

The short version, if you're in a hurry:

To attract hummingbirds in Wyoming, put up a leak-proof feeder filled with fresh, dye-free nectar by the end of April, keep it clean and refilled every 1–6 days depending on heat, skip the insecticide so hummingbirds can still hunt insects for protein, and plant native, nectar-rich flowers like penstemon, columbine, and wild bergamot so your yard offers real food alongside the feeder.

• Best feeder type: leak-proof design with a comfort perch, like the AspenPerch® Hummingbird Feeder
• Best nectar: plain 4:1 water-to-sugar ratio, no red dye — or Pop's Nectar with added electrolytes and calcium
• Feeder timing: up by the end of April, ready for Broad-tailed arrivals and the first week of May for Black-chinned and Calliope
• Nectar change frequency: every 1–2 days above 90°F, every 5–6 days below 70°F
• Pest control: no insecticide — use vinegar-water spray and HummGuard™ nectar tips instead
• Top native plants: penstemon, columbine, wild bergamot, hyssop, golden currant (varies by region — see below)
• Best wildflower planting window: September through early October, ahead of Wyoming's early winter; spring is a solid alternative at high elevation

Which Hummingbirds You'll See in Wyoming

Wyoming's hummingbird story centers on western mountain and high-plains species rather than Ruby-throateds. Here's what you're most likely to see:

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

The most widespread breeding hummingbird in Wyoming, especially in mountain and foothill habitats. Males have an iridescent rose-red throat and a distinctive metallic trill produced by their wings in flight — often the first sign one's nearby before you see it. Broad-taileds nest on evergreen or aspen branches, using spider webs and gossamer for insulation against cold mountain nights.

Rufous Hummingbird

A fiery orange, famously feisty migrant, especially visible in Wyoming during its southbound journey from late June through mid-September. Interestingly, Rufous Hummingbirds mostly bypass Wyoming heading north in spring — their northerly migration hugs the Pacific Coast — so nearly every Wyoming sighting is a bird already heading south.

Calliope Hummingbird

North America's smallest breeding bird, and a genuinely significant part of the global population nests in Wyoming's mountain meadows. Males have a striking magenta-streaked throat divided into separate rays — the only North American hummingbird with this feature.

Black-chinned Hummingbird

Found mainly in lower-elevation river corridors and canyons in southern and eastern Wyoming. Males have a velvety black throat with a thin band of violet-purple visible only in direct light.

When Do Hummingbirds Arrive and Leave Wyoming?

Wyoming's four regular species arrive on a fairly predictable schedule each spring, though Rufous stands out as mainly a fall phenomenon:

Pop's tip: Put your feeder out by the end of April so it's ready for the earliest Broad-tailed arrivals, and keep it up through October, or about two weeks after your last sighting. Since Rufous Hummingbirds mostly skip Wyoming on their way north, don't expect to see this species until early-to-mid summer — its appearance here is really a late-summer and fall event.

Attracting Hummingbirds No Matter Your Space

You don't need acres of land to invite wonder into your yard. Hummingbirds are famously adaptable — all they're really looking for is a dependable food source, a safe place to perch, and a little color.

• Small patio or balcony: One feeder hung from a bracket or shepherd's hook, paired with a container of red or orange tubular blooms like penstemon, is plenty to get noticed. Hummingbirds are solitary feeders by nature, so a single feeder works great in tight spaces.
• Average backyard: Add a mix of feeders and native blooms along a fence line or garden bed, and give your visitors a swing or two nearby to rest and survey their territory between sips.
• Large yard with trees: Take advantage of the shade. Hummingbirds prefer feeders and plantings tucked out of harsh, direct afternoon sun, with a nearby branch to perch on and watch for rivals. Spread multiple feeders far apart, since hummingbirds are territorial and will happily chase each other off a single feeder.

Feeding: Keep It Full, Fresh, and Leak-Free

A feeder is only as good as what's in it — and how well it's kept. Pop's AspenPerch® Hummingbird Feeder is leak-proof by design and paired with our patented Polyperch® comfort perch, so your hummingbirds can rest and feed at the same time instead of hovering the whole meal.

A few feeding fundamentals:

• Only fill what they'll drink in a few days. An 8 oz feeder rarely needs to be topped all the way off — overfilling just means more nectar sitting around long enough to spoil.
• Skip the red dye. Your feeder's color does the attracting; dyed nectar offers no benefit and isn't necessary.
• Use a real nectar recipe, or save yourself the math with Pop's Nectar, formulated with added electrolytes and calcium to support hummingbirds through the demands of nesting season and migration — no dyes, no preservatives.

How Often to Change Nectar in Wyoming

Wyoming's dry mountain air and big elevation swings call for a bit more attention than milder climates:

Watch for overnight freezes, especially in early spring and again in fall — even summer nights can dip close to freezing in Wyoming's mountain communities.

Keeping Feeders Clean (and Pests Away) Without Insecticide

Hummingbirds don't live on nectar alone — small insects make up a big part of their protein diet, especially for feeding chicks. That means insect spray is off the table around your feeding station; it removes a food source hummingbirds depend on and can be harmful to them directly.

Instead:

• Clean your feeder every time you change the nectar, using warm water and a bottle brush — no soap residue, no bleach. A little vinegar and water solution works great for breaking down sticky buildup or the beginnings of mold.
• Deter ants and bees with a vinegar-water spray around (not on) the feeder ports, or wipe down the hanging hook where ants tend to march down.
• Use HummGuard™ nectar tips if bees and wasps keep crashing the party. They slide right onto the AspenPerch's feeding ports — the flexible membrane opens easily for a hummingbird's beak but closes tight against anything bigger, keeping your nectar exclusively for the birds it's meant for.

Give Them a Place to Rest

Hummingbirds spend a surprising amount of their day perched, not flying — watching their territory, digesting, and simply resting between feedings. A Pop's Original Hummingbird Swing hung near your feeder gives them exactly that spot, and it turns your feeding station into a front-row seat for watching them up close. Hang it within a foot or two of your feeder, and don't be surprised if a hummingbird claims it as their own personal lookout post.

Plant a Wyoming Native Hummingbird Garden

Feeders are a wonderful supplement, but nothing beats real, native nectar. Native plants evolved right alongside Wyoming's hummingbirds, so they bloom on the right schedule and produce exactly the nectar these birds are looking for.

Best native nectar plants for Wyoming:

• Penstemon — numerous native species across the state, all built for hummingbird bills
• Columbine — an early, reliable bloomer across mountain valleys
• Wild bergamot and hyssop — reliable summer-long nectar sources
• Golden currant and wax currant — early-blooming native shrubs that provide food before many wildflowers are open

Pop's tip: Because Wyoming's growing season is short and elevation-dependent, plan for early, mid, and late bloomers so something is always flowering while hummingbirds are present — golden currant for the earliest arrivals, penstemon and bergamot through summer, and something later blooming to carry Rufous Hummingbirds through their fall pass.

To make this easy, our Perfect Little Sanctuary® Wildflower Seed Blend is designed to bring nectar-rich color into your yard with minimal fuss.

When to Plant the Perfect Little Sanctuary® Blend in Wyoming

Early-to-mid fall is the best planting window in Wyoming — aim for September through early October, ahead of the state's early snow. This timing is based on the germination needs of the blend's own 12 varieties: 9 of the 12 either need or benefit from a cold, moist stratification period before they'll germinate well, and Wyoming's winter cold does that work naturally, provided seed goes down before the ground freezes solid. Spring planting, once soil is workable, is a reliable backup, especially at higher elevations where a hard winter can be unpredictable.

Top Performers in Wyoming

The Perfect Little Sanctuary® blend contains 12 varieties, and Wyoming's dry, cold-winter climate favors a mix similar to its Mountain West neighbors — including a confirmed native standout:

• Lance-Leaved Coreopsis (Coreopsis lanceolata) — confirmed native to Wyoming in official USDA distribution records, a distinction that sets it apart from several neighboring Mountain West states
• Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta) — broadly native and a reliable performer in Wyoming gardens
• White Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) — broadly native across the West, including Wyoming, and extremely cold-hardy
• Siberian Wallflower (Cheiranthus allionii) — prefers cool, dry conditions, a strong match for Wyoming's climate
• Indian Blanket (Gaillardia pulchella) — not a confirmed Wyoming native, but heat- and drought-tolerant enough to hold its own on the eastern plains
• Palmer Penstemon (Penstemon palmeri) — not confirmed native to Wyoming, but a genuine hummingbird favorite that performs well in dry, western conditions

Pop's tip: You don't need to do anything special to favor these — just sow the blend as directed. The rest of the mix still adds seasonal color, but these varieties are the ones that will do the heaviest lifting in a Wyoming yard.

Summary: Key Takeaways for Attracting Hummingbirds in Wyoming

Building a hummingbird-friendly yard doesn't take a green thumb or a big budget — just a little consistency and the right setup. Here's everything from this guide in one place:

• Wyoming hosts four regular species — Broad-tailed (most widespread), Black-chinned, Calliope, and Rufous — and holds an estimated 3% of the entire global Calliope Hummingbird population
• Rufous Hummingbirds mostly bypass Wyoming heading north in spring, so nearly every sighting here is a bird already migrating south
• Feeder timing: up by the end of April for Broad-tailed arrivals, first week of May for Black-chinned and Calliope
• Any size space works — one feeder is plenty for a balcony; larger yards can support multiple feeders spaced apart, since hummingbirds are territorial
• Use a leak-proof feeder with a comfort perch, like the AspenPerch®, and fill it only as full as it'll be drunk in a few days
• Skip red dye in nectar; a plain 4:1 sugar-water ratio or Pop's Nectar (with electrolytes and calcium) both work
• Change nectar every 1–2 days above 90°F, up to every 5–6 days below 70°F, and watch for overnight freezes even in summer
• Clean the feeder at every nectar change with warm water and vinegar — no soap or bleach
• Never use insecticide near feeders; hummingbirds rely on insects for protein. Use vinegar-water spray and HummGuard™ nectar tips for pest control instead
• Add a swing near the feeder to give hummingbirds a place to rest and be observed up close
• Native, nectar-rich plants (penstemon, columbine, wild bergamot, golden currant) do more for hummingbirds long-term than feeders alone
• Sow wildflower seed in September through early October, ahead of Wyoming's early snow; Lance-Leaved Coreopsis, Black-Eyed Susan, White Yarrow, Siberian Wallflower, Indian Blanket, and Palmer Penstemon are the strongest Wyoming performers in Pop's Perfect Little Sanctuary® blend

Get these basics in place, and the wonder takes care of itself.

Frequently Asked Questions

A few of the questions we hear most from fellow hummingbird lovers across Wyoming:

When should I put my hummingbird feeder out in Wyoming? The end of April is a safe target for Broad-tailed arrivals statewide, with Black-chinned and Calliope typically following by the first week of May.

What is the most common hummingbird in Wyoming? The Broad-tailed Hummingbird, especially in mountain and foothill habitats. Wyoming is also a genuinely significant breeding ground for Calliope Hummingbird, hosting an estimated 3% of the entire global population.

Do hummingbirds stay in Wyoming year-round? No. All of Wyoming's hummingbird species are migratory, wintering in Mexico or Central America and returning each spring to breed or pass through.

How often should I clean my hummingbird feeder in Wyoming? Clean it every time you change the nectar — as often as every 1–2 days during warm stretches above 90°F, and at least every 5–6 days in cooler weather. Also check nectar after cold nights, since even summer temperatures can dip close to freezing in Wyoming's mountain communities.

What are the best plants to attract hummingbirds in Wyoming? Penstemon and columbine are strong choices across most of the state, with wild bergamot and hyssop carrying the season through summer, and golden currant a reliable early-season bloomer. Native, tubular, red or orange flowers are the general rule of thumb.

Wyoming Hummingbird Resources

Audubon Chapters

Wyoming is home to Audubon Rockies and several local chapters across the state. Find the one closest to you with Audubon's Find Your Local Audubon tool.

If You Find an Injured or Grounded Hummingbird

Hummingbirds are protected under federal and Wyoming state law, so only a licensed wildlife rehabilitator can legally care for one.

• Wyoming Game and Fish Department — contact your nearest regional office for a referral to a licensed rehabilitator
• Teton Raptor Center (Jackson) — Wyoming's leading avian rescue facility, founder of the statewide Raptor Rescue Network
• Ironside Bird Rescue — specializes in avian rehabilitation across Wyoming, including songbirds and waterfowl

Hummingbird Research in Wyoming

Ned and Gigi Batchelder, longtime hummingbird researchers based in Sheridan, have spent two decades studying hummingbirds in the Bighorn Mountains region, working in cooperation with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department at the Amsden Creek Wildlife Habitat Management Area. In 2021, their banding work led to the documentation of what is believed to be the first confirmed hummingbird hybrid recorded in Wyoming — a Calliope × Broad-tailed cross identified through detailed measurements of its gorget and tail feathers, currently under review by the Wyoming Bird Records Committee.

At Pop's Birding, we believe every backyard — big or small — has room for a little more wonder. Explore our feeders, nectars, swings, and wildflower seed blends to start building your own hummingbird sanctuary today.