Hummingbirds can be found throughout North and South America and the Caribbean. Recognized for their ability to hover and their unique ability to fly backwards, hummingbirds hover by continuously flapping their wings at high speeds up to 80 times a second.
The Bee Hummingbird is the tiniest bird in the world at just 2 inches long and around 1.8 grams. The Giant Hummingbird is the largest hummingbird at at over 8 inches in length and 25 grams in weight. They have the highest metabolism of all birds and to keep going they need to consume more than their own weight in food daily. In order to do this they have to visit hundreds blooms every day to collect the nectar. They have extended tongues and beaks to reach right into the flowers. They have the ability slow down their metabolisms when at rest, unlike the majority of other high metabolism animals. This increases their lifespan, which can be as long as sixteen years.
Planting A Garden Friendly to the Hummingbirds
To attract hummingbirds to your garden you could plant brilliantly coloured bushes and flowers. Hummingbirds have very little sense of smell but they are drawn to brilliant colours. Hanging a feeder specially made for humming birds in your backyard or on your deck will draw these pretty birds. Plant annuals include jacobinia, salvia, beard tongue, jewelweed, impatiens and petunia. Perennials you could plant include hosta, hummingbird mint, cardinal flower, canna, bee balm and columbine. For trees and bushes choose lantana, mimosa, red buckeye, azalea, buddleia and weigela.
Don’t use any pesticides in your garden as this will destroy bugs and insects that hummingbirds eat. They will also leave deposits on the flowers which the hummingbirds could consume. Also supply plenty of places to rest as hummingbirds will spend about eighty percent of the time sitting on clothes lines, twigs etc. Supply plants that will supply nesting materials to be a focus for female hummingbirds. Hummingbirds choose feathery nesting material from trees like willow and eucalyptus and from lichens and ferns.
Hanging brilliantly colored, hummingbird feeders in your garden will create a center of attention for the hummingbirds. A good suggestion is to attach red streamers that will blow around the feeder. It’s also helpful to supply feeders at different heights as hummingbird species all have distinctive preferences. Species that favor low growing plants will visit a feeder sited lower while species that feed on taller shrubs and plants will rather visit a feeder located in a higher position. Hummingbirds are also very territorial and an individual hummingbird may well defend a single feeder and prevent other birds from coming near. Set no less than three feeders at different heights all around your backyard.
Hummingbirds love a bath in the mist on leaves so you could position a mister close to some broadleaved shrubs to give them a place to bathe.
A Method of Making Hummingbird Nectar
A sweet nectar can be made by blending together a measure of sugar and 4 cups of pre-boiled water. Cool down and keep in the refrigerator. Unused nectar can safely be stored for about a week. Carefully wash hummingbird feeders once a week by rinsing with a mixture of one cup of vinegar to four cups of water then rinsing with plain water. Re-fill with the sugar solution and suspend out of the sun. Don’t add food coloring or sweeteners. Also don’t use honey as it can ferment and be the source of a fungus that is harmful. Change the nectar in the feeder every three days or oftener when the weather is hotter.
Conclusion
It’s not hard to make a garden that will attract these attractive birds. Give them the food they like and a comfortable setting and hummingbirds will pay a visit your garden frequently.
More Information on feeding wild birds and some cheap bird feeders to buy at Garden Bird Feeders or Garden Garden Bird Feeders UK
Tags: attract hummingbirds, easy garden craft, garden craft ideas, hummingbird feeder, hummingbird garden, hummingbirds
