Anna’s Hummingbirds Nesting Season in Seattle and Camano Island

Anna's Hummingbird on her nest before tree leaves out. Photo by Tara Lemiezis of Bird Alliance of Oregon

Anna's Hummingbirds Nesting Season in Winter in Seattle

If you’ve been seeing Anna’s hummingbirds more frequently this winter, you’re not imagining things. While most birds are still focused on survival, Anna’s hummingbirds are already turning their attention to the next generation.

They are one of the earliest nesting birds in North America, and in the Pacific Northwest, their breeding season often begins before most gardens feel awake.

Timing: Early, Flexible, and Weather-Driven

Anna’s hummingbirds can begin breeding as early as December, with nesting activity stretching through late spring in favorable conditions.

In the Seattle and greater Puget Sound region:

• Courtship behavior may begin in mid-winter

• Nest building most often ramps up late winter into early spring

• Eggs and hatchlings are typically observed February through April, though timing varies year to year

Cold snaps can pause activity. Mild winters and reliable food sources can accelerate it.

Courtship: Aerial Acrobatics With Purpose

Courtship often starts before nests appear.

Males perform dramatic U-shaped dives, climbing high and plunging past females at remarkable speed, creating a sharp chirping or buzzing sound at the lowest point of the dive. These displays are about fitness, territory, and timing.

If you’re seeing repeated dives or hearing sharp, mechanical sounds overhead, breeding season is already warming up.

What Nesting Females Need

Once paired, females handle all nest building and chick rearing alone. Their needs are specific and surprisingly delicate:

Nest materials

• Soft plant down

• Spider silk for flexibility

• Lichen or bark flakes for camouflage

Nest placement

• Horizontal branches or forks

• Often 6–20 feet off the ground

• Frequently near cover, not in exposed locations

Reliable food

• Winter and early-spring nectar sources

• Small insects and spiders for protein

This is where garden design matters. A landscape that provides layered structure, early bloom, and undisturbed corners offers real support during nesting season.

What This Means for Your Garden in the Winter

Winter is when:

• Courtship behaviors may begin

• Nest site scouting can occur

• Gardens with winter bloom and shelter outperform others

Avoid aggressive pruning of shrubs and trees through late spring when possible. That “messy” branch may be exactly where a nest is placed.

Designing With Wildlife in Mind

Supporting Anna’s hummingbirds isn’t about creating wilderness. It’s about designing landscapes with structure, seasonal depth, and the judgment to know when not to intervene.

Every garden has the potential to support life when design decisions account for how animals actually use space, not just how it looks in summer.

If you’re seeing Anna’s Hummingbirds exhibit courtship or nesting activities in the winter season in the Seattle region, your garden is already part of the story.

Mama hummingbird feeding her tiny chicks early in the spring. Photo by Tara Lemiezis of Bird Alliance of Oregon