Those who have never seen a hummingbird up close may not have a full appreciation of their brilliant colors or the hypnotizing rhythm to their flitting movements, but many of those who have wonder how they can consistently attract these fascinating creatures to their home. Fortunately, attracting hummingbirds to your backyard with cost-effective garden design solutions is as simple as understanding their behavior. You can find more inspiration for your garden here if you’re interested in applying any of the advice from this article.
Hummingbird Season
Hummingbirds thrive in the spring months, and their first appearance depends on your local climate. Find out when hummingbird populations typically appear in your area, and hang nectar feeders in your yard at least a week before this date to ensure hummingbirds can see them as soon as they arrive. Establishing your property as a hummingbird friendly area early encourages them to return all season long.
Hummingbirds thrive in the spring months, and their first appearance depends on your local climate. Find out when hummingbird populations typically appear in your area, and hang nectar feeders in your yard at least a week before this date to ensure hummingbirds can see them as soon as they arrive. Establishing your property as a hummingbird friendly area early encourages them to return all season long.
Multiple Feeders
Like many animals, hummingbirds frequently display territorial behavior when competing for resources. Dominant male hummingbirds will often chase away other specimens before feeding themselves, and for this reason if you have a single feeder in your yard your sightings may be severely limited. Install several feeders in separate locations throughout your yard to ensure everyone has a place to eat, and be sure all feeders are out of the reach of predators or other animals.
Like many animals, hummingbirds frequently display territorial behavior when competing for resources. Dominant male hummingbirds will often chase away other specimens before feeding themselves, and for this reason if you have a single feeder in your yard your sightings may be severely limited. Install several feeders in separate locations throughout your yard to ensure everyone has a place to eat, and be sure all feeders are out of the reach of predators or other animals.
Misting Sprinklers
Hummingbirds frequently clean themselves by darting into mists of spraying water and then quickly away to shake their feathers dry, and so an easy way to attract more hummingbirds to your home is by providing a bathing area in the form of a misting sprinkler. Hummingbirds take these mist showers several times daily, and so lovers of these tiny birds can see them several times daily simply by using them to water their gardens.
Hummingbirds frequently clean themselves by darting into mists of spraying water and then quickly away to shake their feathers dry, and so an easy way to attract more hummingbirds to your home is by providing a bathing area in the form of a misting sprinkler. Hummingbirds take these mist showers several times daily, and so lovers of these tiny birds can see them several times daily simply by using them to water their gardens.
Feeder Maintenance
Hummingbirds will quickly reject a neglected feeder and may even forget them as reliable sources of food after being disappointed, so maintaining the condition of your nectar feeder is important to ensuring they return until the seasons change again. Nectar can spoil in as little as 2 days, causing mold growth and fermentation, both of which can be extremely harmful to hummingbirds, so change the supply regularly and always clean the feeder with hot, soapy water before refilling it.
Hummingbirds will quickly reject a neglected feeder and may even forget them as reliable sources of food after being disappointed, so maintaining the condition of your nectar feeder is important to ensuring they return until the seasons change again. Nectar can spoil in as little as 2 days, causing mold growth and fermentation, both of which can be extremely harmful to hummingbirds, so change the supply regularly and always clean the feeder with hot, soapy water before refilling it.
Color Code
Hummingbirds are naturally attracted to brilliant colors such as red and orange, and so choosing feeders and flowers in these colors is a way to make your yard a more inviting place for hummingbirds to visit. You can also tie lengths of colored ribbon to the hanging wire of a nectar feeder to highlight it to hummingbirds in flight as well as curious hummingbirds assessing the scene from a distance.
Hummingbirds are naturally attracted to brilliant colors such as red and orange, and so choosing feeders and flowers in these colors is a way to make your yard a more inviting place for hummingbirds to visit. You can also tie lengths of colored ribbon to the hanging wire of a nectar feeder to highlight it to hummingbirds in flight as well as curious hummingbirds assessing the scene from a distance.
What do you do to attract birds, especially hummingbirds to your garden?
RSS Feed
