How to attract hummingbirds to your yard

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Introduction

Hummingbirds are fascinating little creatures. With their rapidly flapping wings, their impossible flying speeds, and their variety of colors, it can be easy to get transfixed as you watch them zoom around outside.

So it makes sense that so many people are interested in how to attract hummingbirds to their yards. You can do this through the use of feeders, flowers, and various other means.

If you have a sizeable population of hummingbirds in your area and would like to have them visit your porch or yard, there are a few easy steps you can take to turn the area around your home into a haven for hummingbirds.

This article will give you all the tips and advice you need about how to attract hummingbirds.

How to attract hummingbirds

Hummingbirds have a very fast metabolism, and this means they need to eat very often to stay alive. Most hummingbirds will eat their body weight in food each day. Their main sources of nutrition are nectar (from plants and bird feeders) and insects.

As they do not usually eat at night, hummingbirds are constantly on the brink of death by the time that morning comes. So the obvious answer to the question of how to attract hummingbirds is to make sure that they have a good food supply.

What To Feed HummingbirdsWhat to feed hummingbirds

Hummingbirds usually eat up to five “meals” per hour. Since there is a constant need for them to find their next meal, they are grateful for all the help they can get. For this reason they will soon come to rely on the food source that you give them.

Your first option for a food source is also one that is very easy. Just by hanging out a hummingbird feeder filled with nectar, you can be almost sure to attract at least one bird. Do not be surprised, however, if you only get one customer who claims the feeder as his own. Hummingbirds are very territorial once they have found a feeder, and they have been known to have violent fights to protect their feeder once they have claimed it.

So when thinking how to attract hummingbirds, it is a good idea to put out at least two or three nectar feeders if you want more than one visitor. It is also a good idea to place your feeders out of sight of each other if you can.

Keep your feeders clean and full

It is down to you to keep your feeders clean and the nectar fresh once you have started to supply hummingbirds with a food source. You should change the nectar at least once a week, and you should try to do it every three days during especially hot weather. If you leave rotten nectar in your feeders for too long it can poison the birds.

You can set up a clothes line or thin trellis near to your feeder for them to perch and preen on.

Make your own nectar

It is a very easy task to make your own nectar at home. You can simply combine one part sugar with four parts water and bring your mixture to a boil. Once the nectar has cooled, it will be all ready for you to put into your hummingbird feeders.

How To Attract HummingbirdsHummingbird flowers

Another thing to consider when thinking about how to attract hummingbirds is to get a plant with flowers that they will want to drink from.

Long, tubular flowers in bright colors are the most likely to attract the birds. Some of the most effective plants for attracting hummingbirds include trumpet creeper, beebalm, and the cardinal flower.

It might be hard to get a hummingbird to notice your flowers out of the blue. If this is the case you can try and hang a feeder over the flowers at first and see if the birds find your flowers as well.

Other food sources

One area that is often forgotten about is that as well as nectar, humminbirds also need to eat bugs to survive. With this in mind, they are more likely to frequent your yard if you do not use insecticides or pesticides to remove insects from your yard. You can place pieces of dead wood in your yard that will attract insects and act as a food source for the birds.

Provide nesting material

Hummingbirds will tend to set up their nests in bushes or shrubs near feeders. You can try to urge one to set up shop near your house by putting out little bits of lint or string for them to use while building their nests.

Conclusion

Hummingbird season can be one of the most spectacular times of year when you have one of nature’s most interesting and bizarre creations zipping around your yard.

Now you know how to attract hummingbirds, you will soon get them used to coming around to your house. Don’t be surprised if you have repeat visitors year after year.

You can read more tips and advice on how to attract birds to your yard here.

See Also:

Tips on how to keep ants out of hummingbird feeders