Hummingbirds are found all over the Americas including the Caribbean. Famous for their hovering ability and their skill at backward flying, hummingbirds can hover by rapidly flapping their wings at speeds as fast as 80 times a second.

The Bee Hummingbird is the tiniest bird in the world at just two inches in length and 1.8 grams. The largest hummingbird is the Giant Hummingbird at 24 grams and approximately 8 inches long. They have the fastest metabolism of all birds and to maintain this they have to consume their own weight and more in food every day. To do this they must visit five hundred or more blooms each day to collect the nectar. They have extended tongues and beaks so they can reach right into blooms. They can decrease their metabolisms when resting, in contrast to nearly all other animals with a high metabolisms. This lengthens their lifespan, which has been recorded at up to 17 years.

How to Make A Hummingbird Friendly Garden

To attract hummingbirds to your garden you could plant brightly colored bushes and flowers. Hummingbirds have a poor sense of smell but they can be attracted by brilliant colours. Hanging a a speciality hummingbird feeder in your garden or on your terrace will catch the attention of these pretty birds. Some annuals to plant include salvia, petunia, impatiens, firespike and jewelweed. Perennial plants include hummingbird mint, canna, columbine, lupine, hota, yucca and bee balm. For trees and bushes pick weigela, mimosa, red buckeye, buddleia, lantana and acanthus.

Do not use any insecticides in your garden as this will kill bugs and insects that hummingbirds eat. They also leave deposits on flowers which the hummingbirds may swallow. Also supply plenty of places to perch as hummingbirds will spend almost eighty percent of the time resting on clothes lines, branches etc. Make available plants that will provide materials for nesting to be a focus for the females. They favor feathery nesting material from trees like eucalyptus and willow and from ferns, mosses and lichens.

Hanging brightly coloured, speciality feeders in your backyard will attract the hummingbirds. A good scheme is to fix red ribbons that will blow around the feeder. It’s also a good idea to supply feeders at different heights as hummingbird species all have different preferences. Species that prefer low growing plants will go to a feeder sited lower whilst species that feed on taller shrubs and plants will prefer to visit a feeder located in a higher position. Hummingbirds are also very territorial and one hummingbird could defend a single feeder and stop others from using it. Set no less than three feeders at various heights around your garden.

Hummingbirds love a bath in the mist on foliage so you could position a mister near to some broadleaved shrubs to give them a bathing place.

How to Make Hummingbird Nectar

Make a sweet nectar by mixing together one cup of sugar with 4 cups of pre-boiled water. Allow the mixture to cool and keep in the refrigerator. Unused nectar can be kept safely for up to a week. Thoroughly clean hummingbird feeders once a week by rinsing with a mixture of one cup of vinegar in 4 cups of water and then rinsing out with plain water. Fill with the sugar solution and suspend in a shady place. Don’t use food coloring or sweeteners. Also don’t use honey as it will ferment and create a a poisonous fungus. Replace the solution in your feeder at least every three days or oftener when the weather is hotter.

In Conclusion

It’s not hard to make a garden that will attract these attractive birds. Give them the food they like and a comfortable environment and hummingbirds will pay a visit your garden time and again.

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