Hummingbirds in New York City
This time of year always feels special to me. Starting in August, I devote much of my attention to one of my favorite visitors, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Watching hummingbirds in New York City parks is an unforgettable experience. These tiny birds may be small, but their presence here is anything but subtle, and each sighting feels like a gift.
Fort Tryon Park Hummingbirds: A Jewel in the City
One of my favorite places to search for hummingbirds is Fort Tryon Park in northern Manhattan. As soon as I step off the A train at 190th Street, I know I am heading toward something magical. The park entrance opens to the Heather Garden, one of the most beautiful spaces in the city. Thanks to the gardeners who work tirelessly there, it is full of vibrant blooms that hummingbirds cannot resist.
The layout of the garden makes birding easy and rewarding. Three main paths, high, central, and lower, wind through beds of flowers. Each path offers a different angle to watch these tiny birds dart, hover, and perch. Sometimes what looks like a dragonfly flashing past turns out to be a hummingbird, and the thrill never fades.
Watching Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in NYC
Spotting hummingbirds is as much about patience as it is about knowing where to look. I keep my eyes on the flowers they prefer, such as jewelweed, cardinal flowers, trumpet vines, and bee balm. They also take insects and sip sap from Yellow- bellied Sapsucker holes.
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Sometimes it is amusing when you are certain you have found one, only to realize seconds later it is just a bee or dragonfly. Sometimes you may also see a Hummingbird Moth , if you’re lucky! But the rest of the city fades away. Surrounded by flowers and focused only on movement, I find myself grounded and calm, caught between anticipation and wonder.
Photographing Hummingbirds: Tips and Challenges
Photographing hummingbirds is its own adventure. Their wings beat an incredible 50 times per second, which means my shutter speed must be high, often 1/2000 or faster, to freeze them in motion. Light conditions change everything. If the bird is perched, I can slow down, but when they are in action, speed is the top priority.
Even with the right settings, patience is key. Some days I spend long stretches waiting near a patch of flowers for just a second of opportunity. Sometimes I capture a blur that still tells the story of their motion; other times I get lucky with a razor-sharp frame that feels like lightning in a bottle.
And then there is the magic: they can fly forward, backward, and even upside down. Every missed shot teaches me something new, and every success is exhilarating.
Where to See Hummingbirds in New York City
Though Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are the only regular species here, they are surprisingly adaptable to city life. I have spotted them not just in Fort Tryon Park but also at:
- The Conservatory Garden and Butterfly Garden in Central Park
- The Ramble’s Tupelo Meadow in Central Park
- Prospect Park in Brooklyn
- Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx
- Randall’s Island
- Green spaces on Staten Island and even Sag Harbor
They follow the flowers, and wherever the city has created gardens full of nectar rich blooms, hummingbirds find their way. Occasionally, rarer species from the West, such as a Rufous or Black chinned Hummingbird, have turned up in colder months, a reminder that nature always holds surprises.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird Migration and Facts
For such tiny birds, their journeys are enormous. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds migrate thousands of miles, sometimes crossing the Gulf of Mexico in a single flight. Males weigh about three grams and females about three and a half, so about the weight of a penny. They are usually about three and a half inches long, with wingspans of three to four inches on average.
To see one pausing in New York City, perched on a stem or feeding from a patch of jewelweed, is to glimpse both fragility and strength in one fleeting moment. Hummingbirds remind me that beauty can be small and brief yet still powerful enough to change the rhythm of your day.
Why Hummingbirds Spark Joy in New York City
What I have noticed is that hummingbirds spark joy in everyone. While photographing in the parks, strangers often stop to ask what I am watching. When I say hummingbird, their faces light up. No one ever dismisses it. Everyone wants to see.
They are also unforgettable when shared with friends. I will always remember the fun I had recently at the Conservatory Garden with fellow birders, standing together in delight as we watched hummingbirds dart between flowers. These birds become common points of joy, connecting people in the most unexpected ways.
We are lucky to have them here, and luckier still to have the green spaces and the people who tend them. Without the wildflower meadows and carefully planned plantings, these little jewels might pass us by unseen.
Closing Thoughts on Hummingbirds in NYC
Over the years, hummingbirds have found their way into much of my work, appearing in my Wild New York calendar, on puzzles, tea towels, lapel pins, pillow covers and prints. They are a constant reminder of how even the smallest visitors can leave a lasting impact.
Hummingbirds are energy, persistence, and beauty all in one. They are proof that even in the busiest city in the world, nature still whispers to us, but only if we are willing to pause and listen.
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