Attracting Hummingbirds
Attracting hummingbirds to your backyard and garden is much easier than
it sounds. These small birds have a special knack for finding their
favorite flowers, and a powerful memory for returning to their favorite
spots - even after years of visiting!
A common mistake is to think that
hummingbirds find their feeding ground through a flower's scent, but
this is untrue - they have nearly no sense of smell. Instead, they seek
out tubular shaped flowers, heavy with nectar, and specific colors, such
as red, pink, and orange.
This is why hummingbird feeders work so well:
they typically are lined with the color
red, or other strong colors. A major plus is that hummingbirds are
always on the look out for new places to feed. This does not mean that
once they find a new feeding ground they will abandon yours - these
birds must feed at least every 10 minutes, so the
more the better!
To start, try some or all of the following:
Plant a hummingbird garden. A great part of a hummingbird's diet
consists of sugar, which they get from nectar and tree sap. Here are
some of the many edible plants that make a great hummingbird paradise:
Flowers: Canna, Foxglove, Lupine, Yucca, Coral Bells, Agapanthus,
Petunia, Impatiens, Fuschias, Begonia, Honeysuckle
Trees/Shrubs: Azalea, Red Buckeye, Lantana, Butterfly Bush
Vines: Honeysuckle, Morning Glory, Trumpet Creeper, Cypress Vine
Hang a hummingbird feeder. These are very easy to find and affordable.
You can buy a special feeder mix, or make your own by boiling 1 part
sugar to 4 parts water 2 cups water for two hours.
A word of caution: do
not use food coloring or any type
of dye, honey, or artificial flavors - these will harm the hummingbirds.
Hummingbirds are very territorial. If possible, we recommend hanging
at least two feeders.
Red is a very attractive color to them. Tying a red ribbon near your
feeder will make them curious enough to explore, as well as making the
feeder more visible.
Clean your feeder at least one time per month. Not only will you
continue to provide hummingbirds with a great feeding source, but you
will keep them coming (they will not feed on spoiled syrup).
Hummingbirds spend 80% of their time perching. By including possible
perching plants or other perching-potential items in your garden,
hummingbirds will be more likely to linger and return.
Bathing in running water is a pleasing hummingbird pastime - they love
dripping water. They enjoy misted leaves to bathe in, so adding water
misters near plants with wide leaves is a definite attraction.
Eucalyptus trees are desirable to hummingbirds not only because they
provide good perching ground, but also because they use them for nesting
material.
Hummingbirds don't just feed from nectar. Part of their diet is made
up of protein that they get from little insects that they eat,
particularly fruit flies. Because of this, it is best
not to use pesticide in your hummingbird garden, since the birds may
feed on infected insects and become ill themselves.
By following some or all of the above suggestions, you should see some
hummers very soon. Although, keep in mind that many hummingbirds do
migrate, depending on your region, so do not become discouraged if they
do not show immediately - there are many online resources outlining
migratory and species information, such as
www.hummingbirds.net
Some fun hummingbird facts:
They take nectar at 13 licks per second
They can consume up to 2/3 of their body weight daily
They can flap their wings 60-200 times per second
Their Heart beats up to 1260 times per second
They can fly up, down, forward, backward, and sideways.
Some migration routes consist of up to 600 miles in length.
There are 16 different species
Feet are only used for perching
They can fly up to 60 miles per hour
