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Hummingbirds are found all through the Americas including the Caribbean. Famous for their ability to hover and their skill at backward flying, hummingbirds can hover by continuously flapping their wings up to 85 times a second.

The smallest bird in the world is the Bee Hummingbird at only two inches long and weighing around 2 grams. The largest hummingbird is the Giant Hummingbird at twenty four grams in weight and eight inches long. All the hummingbirds have the fastest metabolism of any birds and to maintain this they must consume their own weight and more in food daily. So that they can do this they have to visit many hundreds of flowers daily to harvest the nectar. They possess extended beaks and tongues which allows them to reach right into the blooms. They have the ability reduce their metabolisms when at rest, in contrast to the majority of other high metabolism animals. This increases their lifespan, which may be up to 18 years.

Planting A Hummingbird Friendly Garden

To draw hummingbirds to your garden you could plant brilliantly colored flowers and shrubs. Hummingbirds have very little sense of smell but they are attracted to bright colours. Placing a feeder specially made for humming birds in your garden or on your deck will catch the attention of these pretty birds. Plant annuals include petunia, salvia, beard tongue, jacobinia, firespike and impatiens. Perennial plants include bee balm, costa, yucca, canna, lupine, cardinal flower and foxglove. For trees and shrubs pick weigela, mimosa, red buckeye, buddleia, lantana and acanthus.

Don’t use any insecticides in your garden as you will eradicate bugs and insects that hummingbirds eat. They also leave deposits on the flowers which the hummingbirds could swallow. Also supply lots of places to rest as hummingbirds will spend in the region of 80% of the time sitting on twigs, clothes lines etc. Supply plants that will provide nesting materials to catch the attention of the females. They prefer downy nesting material from trees like eucalyptus and willow and from mosses and ferns.

Placing vibrantly coloured, speciality feeders in your backyard will exert a pull on the hummingbirds. An excellent plan is to fasten red ribbons that blow all around the feeder. It is also a great idea to put out feeders at assorted heights as hummingbird species all have different preferences. Species that prefer plants that are low growing will visit a feeder placed lower whilst species that feed on taller plants and shrubs will choose to visit a feeder positioned in a higher position. Hummingbirds are also very territorial and an individual hummingbird could defend a particular feeder and prevent others from feeding. Space a minimum of three feeders at assorted heights all around your backyard.

Hummingbirds enjoy bathing in the mist on plants so you could position a mister near to some broadleaved shrubbery to give them a place to bathe.

Making Hummingbird Nectar

A sweet nectar can be made by mixing together a cup of sugar with 4 cups of pre-boiled water. Cool down then store in the fridge. Unused nectar can safely be kept for about seven days. Scrupulously clean hummingbird feeders once a week by rinsing with a mixture of one cup of vinegar in 4 cups of water and then rinsing with clean water. Fill with the nectar solution and hang up out of the sun. Do not use food coloring or sweeteners. Also do not use honey as it may ferment and create a a harmful fungus. Change the solution in the feeder every 3 days or more often in hot, summer weather.

Conclusion

It’s not hard to make a garden that will appeal to these attractive birds. Give them the food they like and a comfortable setting and hummingbirds will pay a visit your garden often.

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