Hummingbirds live throughout the Western Hemisphere and build their nests wherever they can find a good source of food, water, and shelter. Their small size and aerobatic flights make them fun and enjoyable to watch. Create an ambiance in your garden with bright colors, feeders and a green space that can attract these beautiful birds and encourage them to stay.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Attracting Hummingbirds to the Garden
Step 1. Set up a garden suitable for hummingbirds
If you want to attract them naturally, create an environment specifically geared towards what attracts them. This means a garden full of azaleas, monarda, buddleia, columbine, foxglove, hostas and bindweed (all of these flowers are rich in delicious nectar and are bright and colorful). Choose varieties that have little scent but high visibility and high nectar production.
- You can grow trees, vines, shrubs and flowers, both perennial and annual; these indications are just the beginning of the list. But there are an infinity of other possible ideas, including honeysuckle, climbing bell, heuchera and balsamina.
- Tubular shaped flowers generally contain more nectar; therefore, these are the most attractive to small buzzing birds.
Step 2. Plan for continuous flowering
Different plants and flowers bloom at different times during the spring and summer. To ensure constant, perennial flowering in your garden, plant some flowers that bloom early, others that bloom mid-season, and some that bloom late.
To keep flowering longer, cut off the withered flower. As the flowers die, cut them off the stem; in this way the plant thinks it has yet to bloom and will produce other even healthier and stronger flowers
Step 3. Don't use pesticides
Birds could ingest them and that would be harmful to them, if not deadly. Also, the birds feed on the insects you eliminate with the pesticide, so you would also kill their source of protein. Basically, don't use them at all. Hummingbirds can eliminate some garden pest insects for you.
To stay safe, rely on organic plant care, which means no pesticides or artificial sugars in the flower nectar. Hummingbirds have a delicate physical structure and should only ingest what is natural and safe
Step 4. Set up areas where birds can rest, such as perches to hang on trees and plants
Hummingbirds also need to stop every now and then! When they're not fluttering at super speed, they need a place to perch. Have branches or hooks nearby for when they need to rest.
The male is territorial and controls both his space and food source. Generally, he chooses a place to lean on that allows him to observe "his property" and keep other competitive birds at a distance
Part 2 of 3: Hanging a Hummingbird Feeder
Step 1. Prepare the nectar yourself
Many believe that hummingbirds respond quickly and more consistently with homemade nectar. Prepare enough nectar to half-fill each trough (otherwise the nectar will get old and mold too quickly). Here's how to do it:
- Combine 1 part of sugar with 4 parts of water.
- Boil 1-2 minutes.
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Cool and store the liquid in a resealable container in the refrigerator.
Don't use a red food coloring, honey, or sweetener. All of these products are harmful to the hummingbird
Step 2. Hang more red color on the feeders in hot weather
To really catch the eye of these birds and to keep competition to a minimum, install multiple feeders and make sure they are as much red as possible (their favorite color). If they look dull to you, tie a ribbon over them to make them even more eye-catching and visible.
- As for the concept of "when it's hot," it all depends on your location. In some places, temperatures are higher in January, in others in May. Depending on the climate of the place where you live, be sure to hang the feeders already at the beginning of the season (5-10 days before the expected date of arrival of the hummingbirds), so that they can stay for a while!
- Don't take them off at the end of the season though! Even when hummingbirds move in for the winter, there may still be other birds migrating elsewhere that could use your feeders as a convenient “motorway restaurant”.
Step 3. Choose different places to keep the feeders, to avoid fights between the birds
They need to be spaced apart and some hidden around corners where a male hummingbird can't notice them; male hummingbirds are very territorial. This way you can increase the number of birds by giving other males, females and juveniles a chance to feed without being chased away by a dominant male.
- Hide one or two in your yard, hang one from a tree, and even consider keeping one or two in the front yard so you can be sure they won't be seen from the back!
- Choose areas that are in the shade, at least for a good part of the day. This discourages the growth of mold, which hummingbirds don't like at all.
- Some people prefer to hang all feeders together. In this way, no hummingbird can be dominant and is unable to fight in the areas of other birds.
Step 4. Purchase a bug blocker if needed
Most feeders already come with this accessory, but if yours don't, you can buy one separately. You can also rub some petroleum jelly on the edges to keep them away from the nectar, but this requires cleaning every couple of days.
It is a little more difficult to get rid of the bees. If you find a bee-proof power supply, you have reached maximum efficiency, but even this does not work 100% over time. If you see nectar on the edges of the feeders (dripped by the birds), clean them thoroughly so as not to tempt the bees
Step 5. Change the nectar every 3-4 days
Even if it hasn't been completely eaten, replace it anyway. Otherwise, mold will most likely form, which is even easier in warmer climates. This is the main reason why you only need to fill the troughs halfway.
- At each change of nectar, wash the feeder with hot water; do not use dish soap. If there is mold (and you notice it because you notice black spots), wash it or shake it with sand until it comes off.
- Hummingbirds love clean feeders and will abandon them if they are neglected. If you want these birds to be happy, keep their feeding areas clean.
Part 3 of 3: Attracting Hummingbirds to Your Garden
Step 1. Decorate your garden in red
This means putting in stable red balls, red flags and red patio furniture, as well as more natural touches, such as flowers. In their constant search for flower nectar, hungry hummingbirds are attracted to the red color more than any other. You can turn your garden into a hummingbird "magnet" by hanging red bows, ribbons and decorations.
If over time you notice that any accessories and embellishments are fading and becoming dull, or the paint is turning a dull color, repaint! If it's just a small area that needs a touch up, use red nail polish which is inexpensive and works wonders
Step 2. Use the orange or red reflective construction tape
Not only is it useful because it has bright colors, but hummingbirds are believed to be sensitive to ultraviolet rays, which these fluorescent tapes reflect in abundance. You can find it in major hardware stores and it's inexpensive too.
Step 3. Install a shallow fountain with a gentle spray of water or a nebulizer
Because they are so small, hummingbirds can usually get enough water to hydrate themselves from the dew that collects on the leaves. However, they have a strong need to wash due to the sticky nectar they feed on. They love vaporized water or a gentle spray to stay fresh and clean.
- Put the water source near the feeders; Since the hummingbird's best sense is sight, if you put the fountain close to where it feeds it will be more likely to see it.
- Make sure the water flows continuously! If the fountain is in the sun, the water can evaporate faster than you can imagine. Check every other day or in any case often to make sure that the water is flowing at the right level and that other animals have not contaminated it.
Warnings
- Don't use honey or artificial sugar in your feeders. Hummingbirds eat them, but they can't digest them.
- Avoid using pesticides in the garden. To survive, in addition to nectar, hummingbirds need to eat small insects, for a protein supply. In addition to killing the small insects that hummingbirds feed on, pesticides can also be absorbed by flower nectar and make birds sick.
