- Author: Mary B. Gabbard
Sitting on my front porch, thinking about ideas for my monthly blog, I became entranced by the hummingbirds visiting my salvia. Thirty minutes later, I started researching how to attract more of these mesmerizing birds to my garden.
Let's start off with a few fun facts about hummingbirds:
- The average hummingbird's heart rate is more than 1,200 beats per minute. In comparison, a human's average heart rate is only 60 to 100 beats per minute at rest.
- Their eggs are smaller than jelly beans.
- They consume half of their weight in sugar daily.
- Hummingbirds must eat once every 10 to 15 minutes and visit between 1,000 and 2,000 flowers per day.
- They can fly up to 30 miles in an hour.
- Many hummingbird species, including Anna's, Black-chinned, Allen's, Costa's, rufous, calliope, and broad-tailed hummingbirds, can breed together to create hybrid species. This makes identifying hummingbirds very challenging.
- Hummingbirds do not suck nectar through their long bills, instead, they lick it with fringed, forked tongues. They can lick 10 to 15 times per second when feeding.
- Despite their small size, hummingbirds are one of the most aggressive bird species.
Attracting hummingbirds to your garden is as easy as either planting certain flowers and/or putting up a hummingbird feeder. The diet of hummingbirds requires both an energy source (nectar) and a protein source (small insects). The benefit of bringing these busy birds to your garden is not only eating small insects but also to act as a pollinator: when they feed, their forehead rubs against the stamens and pistils collecting pollen. They then move from flower to flower, pollinating as they go.
Let's start with the hummingbird feeder/nectar:
- Before you add nectar to your feeder, wash with warm soapy water. Inspect the feeding ports, making certain they are not clogged or blocked.
- You do not need to buy premade nectar.
- To make your own nectar, mix 1-part white sugar with 4 parts hot water. Your solution is ready once all the sugar has dissolved. I boil my nectar just to make sure all the sugar is dissolved, let it cool before adding to feeder.
- Do not use artificial sweeteners or honey.
- Do not add red food coloring: Most hummingbird feeders have a red base or top, plenty of color to attract a hummingbird.
- When hanging your feeder, find an area that is slightly shaded, near something the hummingbird can perch on between feedings. An area near flowers that hummingbirds visit naturally will also draw them to your feeder. Keep the feeder out of the sun, this will help keep the nectar fresher a little longer.
- Keep an eye on your nectar as it is fairly weather dependent. Change your nectar every few days when it's hot and humid, less frequently in cooler weather.
- Good rule of thumb: when in doubt – throw it out! Hummingbirds will not feed on cloudy nectar.
- Think about hanging multiple feeders around your yard. This will attract more hummingbirds and prevents a bully from scaring away other birds.
- Wash your feeders with warm, soapy water every time you add more nectar: see Step 1.
Hummingbirds typically love red and tubular flowers, however, don't let that criteria limit your choices. They also respond well to pink, orange, and yellow flowers.
Here are some plants that I have in my yard that are currently attracting hummingbirds:
- Peruvian Lily Plants(Alstroemeria): I have two different colors, actually bought them at Costco!! Bloom every year in spite of my dog constantly running through them.
- Geraniums(Pelargonium x hortorum): multiple colors, easy to grow.
- Bottlebrush Bush: not yet blooming, but setting flowers.
- Yarrow(Achillea millefolium): love this plant! Very low maintenance, easy to grow. Can become invasive, may need to control.
- Red Hot Poker(Kniphofia uvaria): another favorite of mine. Comes back every year with very little effort on my part.
- Mexican Fushsia Sage(Salvia iodantha): I have this in my front yard, grows to be a large shrub: appears to be a hummingbird magnet. Beautiful flowers.
- Zinnia(Zinnia elegans): started these from seed last month, just moved them to my planters. Beautiful array of colors, very attractive to hummingbirds.
Plants I will be adding:
- Penstemon spp.: Native plant, perfectly shaped to accommodate a hummingbird. Grows well in our zone.
- Agastache: perennial plant with lovely flower spires that bloom all season long.
- Butterfly Bush(Buddleia davidii): attracts both butterflies and hummingbirds. Grows well in our zone.
- Trumpet Vine(Campsis radicans). A favorite of hummingbirds: the shape of the flower accommodates the birds' long tongue.
If you're interested in learning more information about plants to attract hummingbirds, check out this link from the Master Gardeners of Tulare and Kings Counties: