About Hummingbirds and How to Attract Them to Your Garden

Visualize watching a bright green hummingbird in your garden moving from flower to flower in search of the tasty nectar within. These beautiful and tiny birds weigh about 2 to 20 grams and are found in a wide variety of environments from the high Andes to lowlands, and from dry desert areas to rainforests. They have slender beaks, extensible tongues, ten primary feathers, and tiny feet suitable for perching but not walking.

Hummingbirds can fly straight up, straight down, backwards, left, right, and even upside down. While most birds obtain their flight strength only from the down stroke, hummingbirds have power on the up stroke as well.

Most hummingbirds flap their wings about fifty times a second and have a very fast heartbeat and high body temperature. They feed every ten minutes or so throughout the day and typically consume two-thirds of their body weight in a single day. Their source of nutrition is primarily nectar from flowers, as well as sources of protein from insects and tiny spiders.

The key to attracting hummingbirds to your garden mainly consists of the right type of flowers and places where they can perch and rest during the day, such as trees or large plants. Hummingbirds are guided by visual means and are particularly attracted to certain shades of red. According to The Hummingbird Society, there are several possible explanations for their preference of red blossoms. Given that insects also see nectar, they can be regarded as competitors. Nearly all insects see well in the visible and near-ultraviolet light but poorly in the red end of the spectrum. Also, a red blossom may appear nearly black and unattractive to a number of insects, but not to the hummingbird, which can see the full visible spectrum but also some in the ultraviolet. This makes it less likely that an insect has taken nectar from a red flower. Another likely explanation is that during migration, red blossoms effectively contrast with a green environment more than other colored flowers do.

Hummingbirds are welcomed guests to nearly all gardens. By planting flowering shrubs and plants that are their favored food source, we can easily attract them to become regular visitors to our gardens. Below is a short list of their preferred flowering plants by common name, separated by region:

Southeastern United States:

? Butterfly Bush

? Cardinal Flower

? Coral or Trumpet Honeysuckle

? Cypress Vine

? Native Trumpet Creeper

? Texas Sage

Southwest United States:

? Indian Paintbrush

? Lantana

? Lily of the Nile

? Mexican Honeysuckle

? Texas Sage

? Western Coral Bean

West Coast United States:

? Beebalm

? Bottle Brush

? Cape Fuchsia

? Colombine

? Salmonberry

? Woodland Orchard

Northeastern United States:

? Blue Lobelia

? Cardinal Flower

? Hollyhock

? Red Morning Glory

? Salvia

? Scarlet Sage

Midwest United States:

? Coral Bells

? Coral Honeysuckle

? Foxglove

? Hosta

? Impatients

? Lilac

Even though flowers are the natural means to attract hummingbirds to your garden, man-made feeders filled with a mixture of water and sugar (sucrose) are an essential alternative. Sugar, whether from a flower or a feeder, is a necessary nutrient in a hummingbird's diet. Tests have shown that hummingbirds favor sucrose in flower nectar more than other sugars such as fructose and glucose. Therefore, with the proper ratio of ingredients, your feeder becomes a good substitute to the flowers that hummingbirds like best.

The formula for the mixture used in hummingbird feeders is 4 parts water (not distilled) to 1 part table sugar. Boil the mixture for one to two minutes, then cool and store in refrigerator. The mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. Do not use red food coloring, honey, or artificial sweeteners in your mixture, as this could be harmful to the hummingbirds.

If one of your goals is to attract hummingbirds to your garden, a visit to your local nursery is a great starting point. Find an experienced employee who can tell you which species of plants grow well in your area and have a history of successfully attracting hummingbirds. Most importantly, be imaginative and have fun planting and growing your garden to attract beautiful hummingbirds.

Lesley Dietschy is a freelance writer and the creator/editor of The Home Decor Exchange and the Home & Garden Exchange. The Home Decor Exchange is a popular home and garden website featuring resources, articles, decorating pictures, free projects, and a shopping marketplace. The Home & Garden Exchange website is a link exchange program and directory dedicated to the home and garden industry, as well as offering free website content and promotional ideas. Please visit both websites for all of your home, garden, and website needs.

http://www.HomeDecorExchange.com

http://www.HomeGardenExchange.com

---

A Guide for Servicing Your Chainsaw

Chainsaws provide many years of service for very little upkeep.... Read More

How To Build A Waterfall

The number one, most asked question that I receive about... Read More

5 Pieces of Equipment Gardeners Cant Live Without

Gardening is fun and rewarding and may be considered a... Read More

Light Up the Night! Quick Facts about Outdoor Lighting

When the days start to get shorter, the darkness may... Read More

Orchid Care What The Flower Tells

In Orchid Care The Flower Will Tell You About Some... Read More

Lawn Edging

How do you make those flowers bloom where they are... Read More

Funky Garden Plants 2

What's a perennial garden plant that blooms in the winter?... Read More

Teak Furniture - A Cut Above The Rest

As you shop around for outdoor furniture, you will notice... Read More

Hot Feeding Tips

Summer is the most enjoyable water gardening season and the... Read More

Release Some Tension...Spend Some Time In Your Garden

Gardening can be one of the most rewarding and relaxing... Read More

Garlic: The Stinking Rose

Garlic (Allium sativum) has been used for centuries for both... Read More

Flowers Wilting? Tips for Making Your Flowers Last Longer

We all know one disadvantage of flowers is that they... Read More

Organic Gardening

"Organic gardening is not just the avoidance of chemicals, in... Read More

Choosing Pond Plants

A pond without plants is like cake without icing. Pond... Read More

Garden Sheds - More Than Just Storage

You may already have a garage or shed in your... Read More

Mustard: The Greatest Among The Herbs

Mustard plants have been used for thousands of years for... Read More

Three Stumbling Blocks to Growing Grapes in the Backyard

Are you one of those home gardeners that don't know... Read More

Teak Furniture - The Proper Way to Care For & Clean It

Teak furniture is tropical hardwood that has a rich, golden... Read More

Cultivating Plants In Your Garden...What To Watch Out For

There are so many plants available for you to choose... Read More

Homemade Hummingbird Nectar

HUMMINGBIRD NECTAR RECIPEWe love hummingbirds and love to watch them... Read More

Summer Pond Tips

Low Oxygen levels Kill FishUse an oxygen tester and air... Read More

Gardeners Gift Ideas

Plant lovers and backyard enthusiasts are special people who will... Read More

Water Pond Designs

You can have different water pond designs, however ones that... Read More

Garden for Birds #3

Well, another week is passing us by.I want to thank... Read More

It?s Gardening Season!

It's gardening season again! Are you ready? Whether you are... Read More

Orchid Myths -The Truth

Here are some of the popular orchid myths#1 Orchids are... Read More

Mowing the Lawn

This is more of a follow up on my original... Read More

Fun, Funky Garden Plants

I have a love for funky, fun and unique garden... Read More

Easy Pond and Water Garden Construction

Today's successful water garden usually is designed as an ecosystem... Read More

Garden Fencing

I made my very first garden when I was six... Read More

For the Birds: Selecting and Placing a Bird House

Bird watching brings enjoyment to many people. Selecting and correct... Read More

Selling Your House? Trim Your Shrubs!

Shrubbery and other greenery that has an unkempt appearance can... Read More

Gift Ideas for Bird Lovers

Some of the best gifts you can give to a... Read More