Hummingbirds have won the hearts of so many of us! These jewels are such enchanting, mesmerizing little creatures, fascinating us with their antics! Many of us want to attract them to our gardens and oftentimes we go to great lengths and expense to do so, only to be disappointed. Much frustration comes from the expense and hard work of planting an elaborate garden and then the time consuming upkeep of our endeavors. So how do we attract these beautiful luminescent hummingbirds buzzing around nectar filled flowers, if we don’t have all the flowers?
With a little water, a few flowers for nectar, and places to perch, you will have the key ingredients for a healthy oasis and the attractions for the tiny jeweled hummers to be regular visitors to your garden or patio. What’s even more delightful is to see them perching on a branch preening and chatting happily! If they’re doing this, you can bet they’re probably feeling safe, content, and happy, with full bellies!
While flowers are a great way to attract and feed these buzzing little jewels, many of us do not have the space, energy, or green thumb to keep flowers, especially if our outside area is a small patio. If you are such a person, do not fret. Although just one hanging basket or a window box will attract them, you can also hang a hummingbird feeder. If you have the place, hanging a basket of flowers will also give places for them to perch. Mini petunias are a hummers favorite and their easy care makes them a cinch to grow.
Since nearly 90 percent of a hummer’s diet is sugary nectar, hanging a feeder will supplement this diet with the fast energy critical to their survival and help them through times when there aren’t as many flowers available. To keep their stamina and maintain their metabolism, hummers need to eat very often, on an average of every 10-15 minutes! Plus they visit over 1,000 flowers every day! And along with nectar, the hummers need protein as well, in the form of small insects. But that’s a topic for a later article. So be sure and check back.
There are literally thousands of feeders out there to choose from. So which one is the best? The type of feeder you choose will likely depend on your style, time investment for maintaining, as well as cost of feeder. Keep in mind also that many other birds and insects visit the feeders to feast on nectar you provide. If this is not an issue, most feeders will be just fine.
However, if you want to feed hummingbirds exclusively, be sure to invest in a feeder that deters other birds and insects from robbing from your little buzzing friends. A feeder that does not have a perch for other birds to land on will be of great consideration. You may also want to think about a feeder that does not have a distinct yellow flower announcing the feeding spot, as bees are attracted to the yellow flowers. Nectar needs to be kept fresh, so a feeder with a larger capacity isn’t necessary, as you will be cleaning and possibly emptying the feeder on a regular basis.
Feeding these voracious eaters has been a great delight and welcomed challenge in our family. We have tried numerous feeders that usually left us frustrated, between leaking nectar, ant infestation and the almost impossible feat of cleaning them. We have finally found the feeder we feel to be our favorite. It’s extremely easy to refill, see the nectar level from a distance, keep ants away, and especially easy to clean. You can find it at 4hummingbirds.com
You may be wondering if it’s difficult and time consuming to make the nectar solution. Or should you just buy it? It is super easy to make the sugar nectar. All you need is sugar and water, no food coloring. You just mix four parts water to one part sugar. So to make a batch, just heat 1 cup water to boil and add 1/4 cup plain white sugar and stir to dissolve. Cool before adding to feeder. Voila! Delicious nectar! Refrigerate any unused portion till you refill feeder. Just bring it to room temperature before adding to feeder. Cold nectar will give your little friend a brain freeze!
The question that has come up many times over the years is, do you need to add red food coloring to the nectar? You may have always heard that the nectar needs to be red to attract the hummingbirds. However, there is no need to add red food coloring. As a matter of fact, it can be harmful to the birds. It’s true that the hummingbird is drawn to red. So a red lid or flower on the feeder is important. In the wild, hummingbirds have learned that they can get quality nectar from red flowers. So this is why the lid or flower on the feeder will be enough to let them know that the nectar sugar you’re offering is of high quality. Remember, for the health of the birds, be sure to clean feeders 1 to 2 times a week in hot weather and just 1 time a week in cooler weather.
Be patient. It may take a week or more for the hummingbirds in your area to discover your scrumptious offering. And then you will delight in the chattering of thanks for the delicious, quality buffet you provide for the jewels of your oasis! Bon appetite!
**Please note: Since hummers visit flowering plants in your garden, as well as eat insects from these plants, please do not use pesticides in your garden.