HUMMINGBIRDS 
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Attracting Hummingbirds:
- Hummingbirds are attracted to the color red and flowers that are tubular in shape.
- A hummingbird's diet mainly consists of protein-rich insects, but with their long, grooved tongues they sip nectar from flowers for energy. You can attract hummingbirds to feeders using a nectar substitute that can be made by combining four parts water with one part sugar.
- Boil or heat the solution using a microwave oven for 1 or 2 minutes. Heating the solution sterilizes it so it won't spoil.
- Never use red food coloring. Some wildlife experts say it can be harmful to hummingbirds, causing throat cancer among other things.
- Hang the feeder in a conspicuous place, preferably in the shade and away from any wind. Clean and fill your feeder at least once a week to keep it free of disease-causing mildew and bacteria. Two or three times a week. Avoid using anything but warm/hot water and a soft brush to clean your feeder.
- A rich insect life in your yard will also attract hummingbirds. Insects thrive in diverse landscapes full of native vegetation and flowers and shrubs that bloom at different times.
- Hummingbirds can be aggressive and rarely share their nectar politely. To help them avoid conflicts, place more than one feeder on a different side of your house so that it is out of sight of the other feeder.
- An early start in the season increases your chances of getting more hummingbirds to your feeders. Generally, feeders should be readied three weeks prior to Mother's Day or around mid-April. However, it's never too late to put one out. An excellent time for seeing hummingbirds is August, when both the adults and their young are about. Hummingbirds will stay around yards until the first of October. Leaving a feeder out beyond that time will not stop them from migrating.
Interesting Hummingbird Facts:
- Hummingbirds are the smallest birds in the world and are only found in the Western Hemisphere (North, South and Central America). In relation to their size, they lay the largest eggs. (An ostrich is 50 times the size of its egg whereas a hummingbird is only 8 times as large.)
- Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly forward, backward, shift sideways and stop in midair. They beat their wings from 60 to 200 times per second and can reach speeds of 60 mph.
- During migration, hummingbirds fly thousands of miles. They begin in Mexico and Central America, travel to North America, breed and return again in the fall. Unlike geese and ducks, hummingbirds migrate as individuals. They have their own internal compasses, possibly remembering certain landmarks along the way.
- The Ruby-throated hummingbird crosses the Gulf of Mexico, flying 500 miles non-stop. In order to make the trip, the bird will energize itself with fat stored from drinking a lot of nectar.
- Studies, in which hummingbirds were tagged, have shown that they will return to the same feeder each year.
Flowers To Attract Hummingbirds:
Annuals- Begonia, Cigar Plant, Cosmos, Fuchsia, Geranium, Impatiens, Lantana, Nasturtium, Nicotiana, Parrot's Beak (Lotus Berthelotii), Petunia, Phlox, Salvia, Scaevola, Shrimp Plant (Justicia), and Zinnia.
Perennials- Agastache, Bee Balm, Coral Bells, Dwarf Delphinium, Penstemon, Phlox, Salvia, Verbena, and Veronica.
Vines- Canary Creeper, Cardinal Climber, Clematis, and Morning Glory.
To see our full line of Quality Bird Watching Gifts for Attracting, Nesting and Feeding Wild Birds including: Bird Feeders, Birdhouses, Hummingbird Feeders, and Bird Baths, and Unique Home and Garden Decor such as Wind Chimes, Mylar Windsocks, Garden Gnomes and more, go to www.BackyardBirdsandGardens.com
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