Ways to Attract Hummingbirds to Your Garden

Hummingbirds are found all over the Americas including the Caribbean. Recognized for their ability to hover and their unique ability to fly backwards, hummingbirds can hover by flapping their wings at speeds as fast as 80 times a second.

The smallest bird in the world is the Bee Hummingbird at only 2 inches long and around 1.8 grams. The Giant Hummingbird is the largest hummingbird at 24 grams and approximately 8 inches long. All the hummingbirds have the fastest metabolism of all birds and to sustain this they need to consume in excess of their own weight in food every day. So that they can do this they have to visit hundreds flowers a day to gather the nectar. They possess long beaks and tongues so they can reach deep into flowers. They can decrease their metabolisms when still, in contrast to nearly all other high metabolism animals. This lengthens their lifespan, which may be up to 17 years.

Planting A Hummingbird Friendly Garden

To draw hummingbirds to your garden plant brightly coloured flowers and bushes. Hummingbirds have a poor sense of smell but they are attracted to brilliant colours. Placing a hummingbird feeder in your backyard or on your deck will attract these charming birds. Some annuals to plant include salvia, petunia, impatiens, firespike and jewelweed. Perennials you could plant include bee balm, costa, yucca, canna, lupine, cardinal flower and foxglove. For trees and shrubs choose azalea, buddleia, cape honeysuckle, mimosa, weigela, flame acanthus, lantana, red buckeye and tree tobacco.

Don’t use any pesticides in your garden as this will kill bugs and insects that hummingbirds eat. They will also leave deposits on the flowers which the hummingbirds may consume. Also provide lots of places to rest as hummingbirds spend approximately eighty percent of the time sitting on twigs, clothes lines etc. Supply plants that will supply materials for nesting to attract the females. They prefer soft nesting material from trees such as willow and eucalyptus and from mosses, lichens and ferns.

Placing brilliantly coloured, speciality feeders in your garden will exert a pull on the hummingbirds. A good scheme is to fix red streamers that blow around the feeder. It’s also a good idea to provide feeders at assorted heights as hummingbird species all have different preferences. Species that favor plants that are low growing will go to a feeder positioned lower whilst species that feed on taller plants and shrubs will rather go to a feeder positioned in a higher position. Hummingbirds are also extremely territorial and one hummingbird may defend a particular feeder and prevent others from using it. Set no less than three feeders at various heights all around your garden.

Hummingbirds enjoy bathing in the mist on leaves so you might set a mister close to some broadleaved vegetation to give them a bathing place.

Making Hummingbird Nectar

A sweet nectar can be made by mixing together one measure of sugar and 4 cups of water that has been boiled. Cool down then keep in the refrigerator. Excess nectar can be kept safely for up to 7 days. Scrupulously clean hummingbird feeders every week by rinsing with a solution of one cup of vinegar in four cups of water and then washing out with plain water. Fill with the sugar solution and hang in the shade. Don’t use any synthetic sweeteners or food colouring. Also do not use honey as it can ferment and create a fungus that is harmful. Change the solution in your feeder every three days or oftener in hotter weather.

Conclusion

It’s easy to make a garden that will appeal to these lovely birds. Give them the food they like and a comfortable location and hummingbirds will come to your garden frequently.

See more about feeding wild birds and some cheap bird feeders to buy at Garden Bird Feeders or Garden Garden Bird Feeders UK