Hummingbird Garden

Planting a hummingbird garden may be a fulfilling way to attract these beautiful birds. Hummers fly by rotating their shoulder joints, allowing them to maneuver from flower to flower, to hover above each blossom to drink nectar and even to fly backwards. Fueling this constant motion requires that hummingbirds nearly constantly be feeding. They stick their grooved tongues into the nectar-bearing parts of a flower and draw up the lightly sugared liquid.

 

Many people use hummingbird feeders- a store bought one or even a small test tube-filled with sweet water. When choosing this method to attract hummers it is important to learn the best mixtures for nectar in order to not mistakenly harm the birds. Honey water is good, but must be changed frequently to avoid harmful bacteria buildup. Sugar water is fine, as long as it is not too concentrated (2 to 3 tablespoonfuls of sugar dissolved in a cup of water is fine). Red dyes may be harmful to the hummers' vital liver, and are best avoided. Hummers are attracted to red flowers; simply decorating your feeder with red paper will attract these birds. Note that feeders do not provide hummers with an important source of protein gained from flowers' small insects.

 

Creating and nurturing a hummingbird garden may be the most beneficial way to attract hummingbirds, both for them and for you. Basically it is best to plant trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom at different times of the year. Early bloomers such as honeysuckles, lilacs and coral bells welcome hummers as they fly north from their warm winter homes in Central and South America. Next in the garden are the summer bloomers such as lilies, azaleas, currants, bee balm, foxgloves, gladioli, snap dragons, and many others. Good fall flowers are jewelweeds, morning-glories, hollyhocks and petunias.

 

artwork by Bernard C. Scott @ 1994 

text by Beth Bannister