Sep 04, 2026
Hummingbirds in Iowa: The Complete Guide to All 5 Species
The Iowa Ornithologists' Union puts it bluntly: Rufous Hummingbird "undoubtedly occurs in Iowa every fall and is chronically under-reported." One dependable breeder, one real fall visitor that's more common than most birders realize, and three genuine rarities with exactly two accepted records each.
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All 5 species, one page
This page covers every hummingbird confirmed in Iowa, rarities included. The printable species guide is the practical companion — every species, its status, and how many records it has on file, sorted by how likely you are to actually see it.
Download the Iowa species guideOne page · PDF · free to print and share
All 5 documented Iowa hummingbird species, grouped by tier — cross-checked against the Iowa Ornithologists' Union's official checklist and Rare Bird Review List.
The Hummingbird You're Most Likely to See
Ruby-throated Hummingbird Breeds Here
Iowa DNR puts it simply: "In Iowa, we mainly see only the ruby-throated hummingbird." The Iowa Breeding Bird Atlas II independently confirms it as the state's regular breeder, nesting from late May through August and peaking in June and July — for a few warm months each year, it's essentially the only hummingbird Iowans will spot in their yard.
Quick ID: Adult males show a brilliant iridescent ruby-red throat that can look flat black until light hits it directly, paired with an emerald-green back. Females and immatures lack the red throat, showing a plain whitish throat and a rounded, white-tipped tail instead.
A Little Throne for Your Ruby-throated
Iowa's Ruby-throateds hold this yard from late May through August — a redwood swing gives your breeder a favorite perch to rest, preen, and watch its territory between feeder visits.
Shop Charm Redwood Swing →Iowa's Real Fall Visitor
Rufous Hummingbird Migrant/Winter
The Iowa Ornithologists' Union is unusually direct about this one: Rufous "undoubtedly occurs in Iowa every fall and is chronically under-reported." It was formally removed from the state's official Rare Bird Review List in 2024, coded Casual rather than Accidental — recorded in 5 to 8 of the last 10 years, a real and regular pattern more birders should be watching for.
Adult males are unmistakable — fiery coppery-orange overall with an iridescent orange-red throat — and famously aggressive, chasing off other hummingbirds regardless of size difference. Females and immatures are trickier: green-backed above, with rufous-washed flanks and a rusty patch at the base of the tail.
Quick ID: Adult males are almost entirely coppery-orange with a glowing orange-red throat, and the only largely rufous-backed hummingbird in North America; females and immatures are green-backed with rufous-washed flanks.
An Extra Feeder for Your Rufous Visitor
Rufous is famously territorial and will chase Ruby-throateds off a shared feeder. A second station, set apart from the first, keeps a fall Rufous fed without your summer regulars going hungry.
Shop AspenPerch® Feeder →If You're Lucky: Iowa's Historic Rarities
Three more species have each been accepted twice by the Iowa Records Committee — real, documented occurrences, genuinely rare rather than one-off, but with nothing recorded between the two sightings.
Anna's Hummingbird Historic / Accidental
Iowa's first record, October–November 2010 at Saylorville in Polk County, was part of a genuine regional pattern — Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Newfoundland all recorded their own first Anna's that same year. A second Iowa record followed in November 2015, also in Polk County. Nothing since.
Quick ID: The only North American hummingbird with a fully colored crown as well as throat — males glow rose-pink from head to throat. Females show a central patch of rose-red spotting on an otherwise plain throat, with a stocky, broad-tailed build.
Broad-billed Hummingbird Historic / Accidental
Two accepted records per the Iowa Records Committee's own current tally — a genuine, if thin, pattern with nothing recurring in between.
Quick ID: A vivid red bill tipped in black is diagnostic on both sexes; adult males add a shimmering blue throat and rich green body. Females are golden-green above and gray below, with a white line behind the eye.
Mexican Violetear Historic / Accidental
Two accepted records per the Iowa Records Committee's own current tally — the same genuine, thin pattern as Broad-billed, with nothing recurring in between.
Quick ID: Both sexes look essentially alike — an all-green hummingbird with a glittering violet patch across the ear coverts and upper chest, and a blackish band crossing the blue-green tail.
Give Every Visitor a Reason to Stay
A feeder brings hummingbirds in — what keeps them coming back, common visitor or genuine rarity alike, is real nectar and a reason to linger. Nectarlyte® Powder adds electrolytes and calcium beyond plain sugar water, and Perfect Little Sanctuary® Wildflower Seed packs nectar-rich varieties into one packet for lasting habitat.
Iowa Hummingbirds at a Glance
Ruby-throated's dominance here isn't a close call — statewide eBird frequency peaks near 31.9%, and every other confirmed species stays well under 1% at true statewide scale. With a gap this wide, a bar chart wouldn't show anything the table below doesn't already say plainly, so this section skips straight to the table.
| Species | Iowa Records | Best Chance |
|---|---|---|
| Ruby-throated | Only breeder; nearly every sighting | Late May through August, statewide |
| Rufous | Occurs every fall per IOU; chronically under-reported | Fall, statewide |
| Anna's | 2 accepted records (2010, 2015), both Polk County | Not expected — genuine rarity |
| Broad-billed | 2 accepted records, Iowa's total | Not expected — genuine rarity |
| Mexican Violetear | 2 accepted records, Iowa's total | Not expected — genuine rarity |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many species of hummingbirds are in Iowa?
Five species have been documented in Iowa. Ruby-throated is the only breeder, Rufous is a genuine fall visitor that occurs every year, and Anna's, Broad-billed, and Mexican Violetear are each genuine rarities with exactly two accepted records.
Are there hummingbirds in Iowa in the fall?
Yes — the Iowa Ornithologists' Union states directly that Rufous Hummingbird "undoubtedly occurs in Iowa every fall and is chronically under-reported," even though it isn't a species most birders expect to see.
What is the rarest hummingbird ever recorded in Iowa?
Anna's, Broad-billed, and Mexican Violetear are tied for Iowa's rarest, each with exactly two accepted records and nothing recorded in between. Anna's two records, in 2010 and 2015, were both in Polk County.
For feeder setup, nectar ratios, and native plants that support these species, head back to our how-to-attract-hummingbirds-in-Iowa guide. For arrival and departure windows, see the Iowa hummingbird calendar.
Why We Created This
Pop's Birding has been helping hummingbird lovers for three generations. One of the questions our customers ask most often is "What hummingbirds are actually in my state?" — and for Iowa, we built this page to give a direct, sourced answer, including a fall visitor the state's own records committee says is genuinely under-reported.
How We Created This
We pulled eBird bar chart data for Iowa statewide to establish which species show a real, measurable presence at genuine statewide scale. Only Ruby-throated cleared a meaningful bar; Rufous and the three historic rarities all measured under 1% at true statewide scale, so no frequency chart appears on this page. We cross-checked every rare species directly against the Iowa Ornithologists' Union's official checklist and current Rare Bird Review List rather than relying on eBird frequency alone — which is how we identified Rufous as a genuinely regular, if under-reported, species rather than a true rarity, and confirmed Anna's, Broad-billed, and Mexican Violetear each at exactly two accepted records.
Sources
- Iowa Ornithologists' Union, Checklist of the Birds of Iowa. Source for all 5 species on this page.
- Iowa Records Committee, Rare Bird Review List. Source for accepted-record counts and Casual/Accidental status.
- Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Source for Ruby-throated's breeding status.
- eBird bar chart data, Cornell Lab of Ornithology — Iowa statewide.
Know before they arrive
You don't have to keep this calendar taped to the fridge. Insider Birding Access members get seasonal notes timed to your region — when to have feeders out, what the birds are doing right now, and what's worth doing in your yard this season. We take the guesswork out of the calendar. Joining takes about thirty seconds, and there's 10% off your first order in it.
Join Insider Birding Access →Free to join. 10% off your first order.
Shop Iowa's Hummingbird Favorites
Bethany Sloan has served as General Manager of Pop's Birding since 2010, continuing the legacy of her grandfather, William "Pops" Sloan, inventor of the Original Hummingbird Swing. A lifelong hummingbird enthusiast, educator, and independent researcher, she leads the company's educational content, including its 50-State Hummingbird Guide series, Regional Guide, Species Guide and Hummingbird Learning Center. Bethany combines scientific research, regional migration data, and more than 16 years of hands-on experience to create trusted educational resources for bird enthusiasts across North America.
