Attracting
hummingbirds to the garden
I have been sitting outside the last few days trying to
get a good picture of hummingbirds with my new camera. I managed one that’s fairly good, as you will
see. I really enjoy watching the hummers
in the summer and my property is blessed by several pairs of the tiny birds
each year. I have 3 nectar feeders and a
variety of plants that attract them.
In the northeastern United States the only hummingbird
species we get to see is the Ruby Throated hummingbird, (Archilochus
colubris). In the south and west there
are several other species. All American species prefer the same sort of flowers and feeders. Fastest Things on Wings- Rescuing Hummingbirds in Hollywood by Terry Masear- is a book that can give you more information on western species of hummingbirds.
The Ruby
Throated hummingbird arrives in zone 5-6 in late April-early May from its
winter home in Central America. Males
generally arrive first and establish territories. The Ruby Throated hummingbird is tiny, 3-4 inches
long. They are iridescent green with
white undersides. The male has a slash
of bright red under the throat and a forked tail. The female lacks the red throat and her tail
isn’t forked. Females are slightly
larger than males.
The name hummingbird comes from the humming sound the
birds make as they fly. It’s also
described as a buzzing sound.
Hummingbirds not only hover but they can fly backwards and straight up
and down.
Hummingbirds are loners, they don’t form pairs and
males and females often fight over food sources like a feeder. Fighting can be quite vicious and tiny
squeaks of rage are often emitted. Hummingbirds can fly into people and objects
during these mobile battles.
After mating the female hummer constructs a tiny cup
shaped nest on a tree limb composed of lichen, scales from tree buds, and
spider silk. It’s usually lined with
animal hair or fluff from seeds like milkweed and dandelions. Two eggs are laid and the female cares for
the young by herself. Baby hummers are
fed nectar and tiny insects. A female
sometimes raises two sets of babies in a summer.
Baby hummers and even adult hummers are eaten by other
birds; crows and blue jays raid nests and have been seen swooping up adult
birds, usually when they are fighting or otherwise distracted. Large praying mantises have even been seen at
feeders catching hummers. Lizards and
snakes as well as the usual cats and other animal predators take a few,
although the birds are quite swift and evasive.
Hummingbirds do eat nectar; they insert their long beak
into flowers, the long tongue inside that beak sips up the nectar. But they also eat a lot of small insects such
as aphids, fruit flies, mosquitoes, and spiders. Hummingbirds need to eat frequently from
sunrise to sunset to fuel their high metabolism rates.
Plants
that attract hummingbirds
While nectar feeders may attract occasional hummers if
you want to see them frequently you also need plants for nectar and the kind of
habitat hummers love. Hummers like open
wooded areas, edges of woodlands, and environments with large trees but also
numerous areas with flowers.
Hummers are attracted to tubular flowers of red, orange
or pink, but do visit flowers of other colors that have nectar. Trumpet vine, honeysuckles, salvias and
sages, beebalm, nicotania, cardinal flower, silene, morning glories,
jewelweed, columbine, red petunias such as petunia exserta, pentas, zinnias,
snapdragons, Canada lily and some other species lilies, bouvardia, comfrey, penstemon,
foxglove, tithonia, pinks, buck-eyes, horse chestnut, rhododendrons, clethra,
and hardy hibiscus. Many red flowered
tubular plants are pollinated only by hummingbirds.
Hummingbirds do not require drinking water but like to
bathe in a fine mist or spray of water.
Lichens on trees and other objects are used for nesting and allowing some plants like
dandelions and milkweed to go to seed will help them with nest building too.
Hummingbird
feeders
There are all kinds of hummingbird feeders out there
and sometimes a simple one attracts the most hummers. Look for one that is easy to fill and
clean. The feeder needs only a small
amount of red around the feeding ports to attract hummers. It can have perches or be without them,
hummers use both. Feeders should be
suspended at least 5 feet above the ground and feeders should be located in the
open where they can see predators approach.
To make nectar boil some water, turn off the heat and
then stir in 1 cup of sugar for every 2 cups of water and stir to
dissolve. After its cool it’s ready to
use. It does not need to be dyed red and
artificial colors shouldn’t be used.
Always use white sugar, never
honey, corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, stevia, agave or other
sweeteners. These things can harm
hummers.
Hummingbirds seem to prefer homemade nectar rather than
the red stuff you buy in the store and making your own is cheaper. Those store
bought mixtures often contain preservatives as well as dyes and may have a
taste hummers don’t like. You can make
up a large batch of hummingbird nectar and refrigerate it for several weeks or
even freeze it, to save time.
Dump and clean feeders several times a week. It’s better to have small feeders for this
reason, you don’t waste nectar. Ants and
bees will find their way into feeders. Use bee guards if you want to discourage
bees. These are cage like things that
fit over nectar ports. But bees are good for the garden too and unless you are
allergic you may want to let them eat.
You can put something like petroleum jelly at the base of
poles holding feeders to stop ants, but never get anything sticky or greasy up
close to the feeders where humming birds could touch it. It could keep them from flying well if it
gets on their feathers. And of course
never spray pesticides around feeders.
Put up several feeders around the garden in places
where you can observe the hummers if possible. Put them at least 10 feet
apart. Since one hummer may chase others
away from a particular feeder having several allows more hummers to visit your
garden.
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