Everyone loves these little birds who fly thousands of miles to visit their summer homes. We will review a few of the ways to entice these little birds to visit and maybe even call your backyard their home for the season.
https://pixabay.com/en/hummingbird-feeding-beak-bird-2069273/
Every gardener I know loves to have a backyard full of birds, bird houses and bird feeders. Nothing thrills them as much as the return of the elusive hummingbirds that flit through the air like little dashes of light. The whole idea of having these little birds in the garden makes me happy.
So what's the secret to having them come and stay a while?
First and foremost, you have to make your yard more appealing to these little birds. If they feel you are putting out a welcome mat, they just might come to visit. If they like what they find, they will probably stay a while. So let's see what we can do to make them feel welcome.
Knowledge about their likes and dislikes!
Hummingbirds are migratory birds. They do not stay all season long in the north, it's too cold for them. But once spring and summer arrive, they do head north for a visit. They will come and breed, stay for the summer and then head back to the south for the winter. Hummingbirds are tiny little creatures that weigh just a few ounces. They require lots of nectar to keep them going. Their metabolism is one of the fastest working metabolisms that you will ever find. They need lots of nectar to keep them flying.
That is the first secret to attracting the hummers to your yard. You need to provide a source or two of that nectar that they must have to live.
The second secret is to have lots of colors that hummers like in your yard. This can be done by attaching red or orange colored ribbons to trees and bushes. The hummers as they are headed north, scope out these colors and are attracted by them. They assume there are flowers full of nectar for their feeding purposes.
The third secret is to then have lots of plants that are in fact good nectar producers. Feeders are great, but they also like plants, they will use the soft leaves and petals for their nests and spider webs to hold them all together. So leave those spider webs out there.
The fourth secret is to have lots of hummingbird feeders in your yard. When plants are dying back and not producing flowers full of nectar, the hummers will need an alternative source of nectar. Hummingbirds can also be quite possessive and will fight over the feeders. It's better to have one too many feeders than not enough. If you set them out, they will come.
The
fifth secret is to have a water source handy. They love fountains or water misters.
If you don't believe me watch this short video and you will see the difference that a water feature can make...
Hummer's Bathing and Drinking Station.
Have you ever wondered why Hummingbird feeders are always red and yellow in color?
The quick answer is that these are the colors that really attract hummers. Many red and reddish-orange plants are great nectar providers. This color can be spotted by the hummers from miles away. If you have red flowers and feeders in your yard, they will make a beeline for your yard. Even before the flowers are in bloom in your area, put out some hummingbird feeders and they will find you. Once summer is in full swing, the flowers will enhance their nectar likes.
What are the best flowers to grow for hummingbirds?
As stated earlier, red, reddish-orange and red with yellow flowers are the favorite colors for hummers. Some of the flowers and vines that fit this bill will be:
Columbines, Salvias, Cardinal climbers, Agastache, Liatris, Bees Balm, Trumpet vines, Morning Glories, Scarlet Runner Beans, and Honeysuckles.
One year I planted a whole row of Canna across my front garden. I was delighted when I was out there and a hummingbird was right by my ear. I could hear his wings flapping and I watched in delight as he swooped in and out of the flower row.
What are the best feeders for hummingbirds?
First Nature 3055 32-ounce Hummingbird Feeder
Hummingbird feeders are usually red in color to attract the birds as they are flying. They can spot this color from far away and will make a straight path to the feeders they find easily. Filled with sugar water they are an instant boost for their feeding needs.
It is
not necessary to add red food coloring to the sugar water contained in the feeders. Some experts suggest that the red food coloring actually harms the birds. All you need is one part sugar to 3 parts water to keep the hummingbirds happy. You make your own syrup by boiling these two ingredients and then cooling the mixture. Placed in the feeders the birds will be super happy.
Having more than one feeder in your yard will keep the birds from fighting over the food supply.
Hummingbird feeders need to be kept clean. If the sugar water stands for more than a day or two it may become contaminated. This will make the birds sick. So once you start to put out food for them, you must remain attentive to the feeders.
They are easy to clean with soapy water, rinse them well and refill them with nectar. Hang them back outside.
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As you can see with these examples of hummingbird feeders, all of them have wide openings so that cleaning them out will be much easier. I have purchased hummingbird feeders that are more artistic looking, but they are impossible to clean completely.
I don't want to harm the birds with unclean feeders. These are my favorites from the ones available through Amazon.
The Migration of Hummingbirds for 2017
As you can see from the map, the Hummingbirds are already on their way north. This is the current map for 2017 and you can log when you see your first hummer on the map by going to this site:
Migration Map 2017
It is part of the link below and will allow you to enter your information. Will you be the first one in your state to log a sighting?
A Great Resource for Hummingbird Lovers
The BBC has amazing nature videos available and the one I have highlighted for you below is wonderful. In our climate we don't have all the beautiful hummingbirds that are in the world, so you can enjoy and see some of the other species of hummers and their beautiful plumage. Some species are really quite impressive in both color and their way of life. It's a great resource for sure.
Super Hummingbirds BBC
My Conclusions
Putting up hummingbird feeders is a little bit of work, but it is worth the time and trouble when you are treated to the sight of these little miracles flitting about in your backyard. The most important thing is to keep the feeders clean and filled.
I love my hummingbirds and will do everything in my power to make sure they know they are welcomed into my yard. How about you? Will you put up a feeder or two? I can assure you that once you have been treated to hummingbirds in your yard, you will want them to come back again and again.
