A Rockport tradition beneath the live oaks
Each September, as thousands of hummingbirds move through the Texas Coastal Bend during their fall migration, Rockport and Fulton welcome birders and visitors for the annual HummerBird Celebration.
For many years , the History Center for Aransas County has been part of the tradition.
The annual Hummer Breakfast brings visitors into the gardens of the historic Bruhl-Paul-Johnson house for a morning beneath the live oaks, surrounded by the plants, feeders and tiny travelers that make September in Rockport so special.
It is a celebration of hummingbirds — but it is also part of a much older Rockport story.
History & Hummingbirds in Rockport
Long before birding became an important part of tourism along the Texas Coastal Bend, Rockport was home to one of America's pioneering bird observers: Connie Hagar.
Hagar arrived in Rockport in 1935 and spent decades observing and documenting the extraordinary birdlife moving through this stretch of the Texas coast. Her work helped bring national attention to Rockport as an important location for migratory birds and helped establish a birding legacy that continues today.
The History Center preserves and shares pieces of that story, including Connie Hagar memorabilia, while our gardens continue the connection between Rockport's history and the birds that have made this community famous among generations of birders.
Our Hummingbird Gardens
The History Center's gardens provide habitat for hummingbirds and other wildlife throughout the year.
Nectar-producing plants and hummingbird feeders make the grounds especially lively during migration, when Ruby-throated Hummingbirds pass through the Coastal Bend on their remarkable journey south.
During HummerBird Celebration, the gardens become the perfect setting for one of our favorite annual traditions — breakfast beneath the trees while the hummers put on their own show.
2026 Hummer Breakfast
HummerBird Celebration • September 17–20, 2026
Hummer Breakfast • 8am-10am
Join us at the History Center for our annual Hummer Breakfast during the 38th Annual HummerBird Celebration
Enjoy a relaxed morning beneath the live oaks, watch for hummingbirds moving through the gardens, explore the historic History Center and experience a little of the history behind Rockport's longstanding connection with birds and birding.
Visitors will also have the opportunity to explore The Moments That Made the U.S.,
our Humanities Texas exhibition commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States.
We look forward to welcoming longtime HummerBird visitors and those experiencing Rockport's September hummingbird migration for the very first time.
Planning Your HummerBird Weekend?
The 38th Annual Rockport-Fulton HummerBird Celebration takes place September 17–20, 2026, with four days of speakers, birding trips, Hummer Home tours, shopping and special events throughout the community.
For the complete 2026 HummerBird Celebration schedule, including speakers, tickets and registration, guided birding trips, boat excursions, workshops, live bird banding, Hummer Home Tours and visitor planning information, visit:
Rockport Birding HQ's Complete 2026 HummerBird Celebration Guide →
Official HummerBird Celebration →
Visit the History Center
Come for the hummingbirds. Stay for the stories.