WEST VIRGINIA (WTRF) Thousands of hummingbirds have packed their bags and are headed to West Virginia as part of their biannual migration, according to Only In Your State.

The ruby-throated hummingbird has begun its journey from the Gulf of Mexico and should be passing through West Virginia in large numbers this April.

There are more than 300 species of hummingbirds in the Western Hemisphere with just 20 found in the United States. The ruby-throated hummingbird is the only one that passes through West Virginia during its migration between the Eastern US and Canada and the Gulf of Mexico each spring and fall. Most hummingbirds limit their range to the far southern states.

The male ruby-throated hummingbird has a red throat, while the female’s coloring is less bright.

They are a joy to watch and can fly up to 60 miles per minute with 75 wing-beats per second. They are the only bird that can fly backward.

Hummingbirds enjoy eating nectar from flowers and small insects, but they also frequent backyard hummingbird feeders. To attract hummingbirds to your yard, plant flowers like columbine, trumpet vine and petunias.

You can also fill a hummingbird feeder with a fresh, clear sugar-water mixture of 1 cup water and 1/4 cup sugar. Do not use any red or colored dye in the feeder and change the sugar water often to prevent a bacterial buildup.

Hummingbirds often keep the same feeding grounds and may revisit your feeder in upcoming seasons and even bring their bird friends.