ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) — These colorful creatures are ready to return to Albuquerque. Hummingbirds of different sorts and sizes are making the trek to their summer homes, and on that journey, we expect to see quite a few of the tiny flyers right here in New Mexico. Story continues below NM Film: Are overseas film productions pulling work away from New Mexico? Environment: Mexican gray wolf seen roaming north of I-40 found dead Transit: City of Albuquerque looks to crack down on improperly parked E-scooters Typically, hummingbirds migrate to the southwest in either April or May. From there, they may migrate even further north as the summer closes in. For Albuquerque, this means it's time to put out your hummingbird feeder. "Right now would be a good time, just to catch the first ones that come in," said ABQ BioPark Birdkeeper Laura Siffring. "You can leave them all out year - usually the last of the stragglers are gone in November." Siffring says to make your own hummingbird nectar, you take one part sugar and four parts water. She advises that the water should be warm enough to dissolve the sugar without being boiling hot. "And make sure you don't add any dyes - those can be harmful," Siffring added. "The hummingbirds are attracted by bright colors of the flowers, but not the nectar itself. That's why most hummingbird feeders have the little red flowers on them." Ideally speaking, the water in the feeder should be changed out every other day. Otherwise, bacteria or fungi can start to breed. There's also another hazard with leaving water unchanged for too long, as Siffring says the "syrup can become really sticky and get stuck to their beaks," rendering the hummingbirds unable to feed. What types of hummingbirds are in Albuquerque? When it comes to which types of hummingbirds Albuquerque can expect to see, there's a few variations. The most common, and the only one to actually breed here, is the black-chinned hummingbird. You can typically find them around the bosque. "They are called black chins because obviously their black chins, but if you catch it in the right light, it's actually a vibrant purple on the males," said Siffring. "The way that hummingbird feathers are is that a lot of the time, the chins or the throat look black or dark brown, because that's what color the feathers actually are - like the pigment of the feathers are black - but the way that the light is reflected on the feathers, the shape of the feathers reflects purple… That's why they're so iridescent looking." Outside of black-chinned hummingbirds, Albuquerque commonly sees broad-tailed, rufous, and calliope hummingbirds. As for where they hang out, the BioPark's botanical gardens have some frequent flyers, with their "trumpet vines" becoming the main attraction. A male broad-tailed hummingbird with bright red throat hovers near a sugar water feeder. (Getty Images) Although these plants are irresistible to hummingbirds, they're also quite invasive, with vines able to grow up to 25-feet. Siffring does not necessarily recommend growing one of them in your yard. If you're looking for something beyond your feeder to attract hummingbirds, you could try a Desert Willow or Autumn Sage, among several other options. That plant could even become a fan-favorite among the local hummingbirds, as Siffring says these little creatures have an unexpectedly big memory. "They actually remember where specific flowers are and how frequently the flowers refill with nectar," said Siffring. "Because once they drink the nectar, it's all gone, but the flowers will produce more. So, they remember the fill times basically for each flower." Those memories prove vital, given that hummingbirds eat about every ten minutes. Fortunately, though, these little birds are more than just hungry — they're also important pollinators for many areas. Siffring tells us "some plants are specifically pollinated by hummingbirds," with flowers only accessible through the long, thin hummingbird beak. Albuquerque will see its fair share of hummingbirds this season, but if you're looking for even more of a variety in species, Siffring recommends making a trip down to southern New Mexico. History of the hummingbird in New Mexico We briefly spoke with Siffring on the history of hummingbirds in New Mexico. With their small bodies and colorful coats, hummingbirds aren't currently perceived as "powerful." That's a perspective that didn't hold entirely true back in the 15th century. According to Siffring, the Aztecs heavily respected these creatures. "They would often depict their god of war as a hummingbird, which is kind of surprising to a lot of people," said Siffring. "Cause people think of hummingbirds as being - you know, they're tiny and meek, but they're actually very, very feisty. Males have territories they protect very ferociously." To learn a bit more about hummingbirds in New Mexico, you can visit the Southwest Audubon Society website. ...read more read less