How To Attract Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds are one of the smallest and most beautiful species of birds that you are able to attract to your yard for you to enjoy while bird watching. Because these little balls of energy are so small and move so fast they require an abundance of food to keep them going throughout the day.

The food that they eat is the nectar from flowers or hummingbird food, sweetened water, that you can provide for them in a hummingbird feeder. You can buy the hummingbird food at a store or you can make it yourself quite easily. They do not eat seeds as most other bird species do.

Planting a garden with plants and flowers that will attract hummingbirds is certainly a beautiful way of being able to watch them in a natural setting. A hummingbird garden, as they are often called, makes for a spectacular setting bird watching to take photos of them while they are feeding. A few of the many bright and colourful plants that help to attract hummingbirds are Rhododendron, Buddleia, Honeysuckle, Morning Glory, Petunia and Lupines.

In addition to planting a hummingbird garden, another way of seeing hummingbirds on a regular basis is to hang one or two hummingbird feeders near windows of your home so that you can watch them easily from inside without the aid of bird watching binoculars.

The hummingbird feeders that we have found to work the best are the red plastic feeders with yellow flowers for the feeding spouts.

The three important points to remember when feeding hummingbirds is to make sure the food is fresh, there is always food in the feeder and is at the proper sweetness.

Change the food every week if it is not being eaten on a regular basis. Take the feeder down, empty and wash then rinse before filling again.

Always have food in the feeder because you want the hummingbirds to get in the habit of coming back to your home on a regular basis. If they know it is there they will return.

And, sweetness matters. If it is the right sweetness the hummingbirds will reward you with hours of bird watching pleasure. If it is not sweet enough or too sweet then they will usually go elsewhere.

To make the hummingbird food yourself here is the recipe that we use to keep them coming back all season long:

Hummingbird food recipe:

1 part sugar
2 parts water

Pour two cups of water in a stainless steel pot and bring to a boil. After it has boiled stir in one cup of sugar and continue boiling for two more minutes once all of the sugar has dissolved. Now, remove from from the burner and let cool. Once it has reached room temperature fill the clean feeder and return to the hook you have for your hummingbird feeder outside.

Only use sugar and water for food and nothing else. Never use food coloring, honey or artificial sweeteners as the honey will not last and the artificial sweeteners are not healthy for the birds.

By doing these simple and easy steps you will be able to enjoy bird watching the hummingbirds in your garden and near your home all season long.