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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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