The Crosby Arboretum has set a date for its annual All About Hummingbirds program. The event will take place Sep. 1 and there will be two time slots to choose from.

Arboretum Director Pat Drackett said professional hummingbird researcher James Bell will be teaching the course. Bell has been conducting this class for years and it is always one of the arboretum’s most anticipated events, she said.

Drackett said participants learn the basics about hummingbirds, including life cycle, feeding habits and how they fly. Attendees will also learn about plants that attract the birds, where to purchase feeders and how to properly care for them, when to plant the proper plants and when to put out a feeder.

Drackett said ruby-throated hummingbirds are the most common hummingbirds found in Pearl River County. She said they migrate twice a year – once in the fall and once in the spring. Because of their migration patterns, there are different plants that should be put out at different times of the year, and there are certain months when feeders should be placed outside, she said. Bell will teach participants the basic hummingbird care tips, Drackett said.

Drackett said for those who want to keep track of migrations and want to learn more about hummingbirds, they can visit the website Journey North, where maps detail annual migration patterns. On the website, people can report whether a hummingbird was seen at a feeder or flower. The data helps determine the bird’s annual migration pattern.

The class will be held during two time slots on Sept. 1, Drackett said. Participants can sign up for either the 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. slot, or the 11 a.m. to noon time slot. The event is free for members, Drackett said. The fee will be $5 for non-members and $2 for non-members’ children. The registration deadline by Aug. 31.