(Archilochus colubris)

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (RTHUs) are the most widely distributed of the world's 338 species of hummingbirds, all of which occur ONLY in the Western Hemisphere.

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are Neotropical migrant insect- and nectar-eaters that breed from Florida to Maine; westward across the Great Plains to foothills of the Rockies; from south Texas north to southern Canada; and northwest into Alberta.
Little is known about autumn migrational routes. Some migrant RTHUs apparently fly from Florida to the Yucatan; however, many RTHUs gather in Louisiana or Texas in mid-September before flying across the Gulf, and some may take an overland route through Mexico. Even less is known about spring migrational paths.
There's good evidence that hummers do not fly very high during migration. Over land it is unlikely they get much above treetop height--the better for them to see potential food sources along the migratory route. Hot air balloonists have reported RTHUs at altitudes of up to 500 feet or so. It is certain that hummingbirds would never be able to survive cold temperatures at high altitudes used by waterfowl and larger songbirds, which helps refute the ludicrous myth that hummers hitchhike on the backs of Canada Geese. Over water, hummingbirds have been reported to migrate just above the wave tops; one observer even claimed some hummers get within the curl of a wave, thus allowing the wave itself to serve as a windbreak.

The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is often found in the ecotone--or edge--between woodland and meadow. In this habitat the bird is close to mature trees in which it typically nests, as well as near a profusion of flowering plants that supply nectar and support small insects--both of which make up its diet. It is a bird that has adapted well in many places to human development, but only if there are shelter, space, and food. Thus, it is frequently seen in suburban backyards with some mature trees and shrubs, in wooded parks, and around farmsteads and orchards. Although the RTHU may be found more frequently near hardwood forests, it also occurs in pine stands in parts of its breeding range. In Canada, its overall distribution stops at the southern edge of the dense boreal forest.

Observations in Mexico and Central America indicate that Ruby-throated Hummingbirds select similar habitats to those they use on the breeding and nesting grounds: the edges of thickets and second-growth forests where the woods interface with clearings such as pastures. As in North America, these locations are likely to have viable populations of flowering plants. It should be noted that SOME vegetation disturbance may benefit RTHUs because it results in more "edges," but clear-cutting eliminates all plants they need for nesting, roosting, and/or feeding.