Hoping for a yard that's busy with hummingbirds this year? There are simple steps you can take to encourage them to visit! Read on for a quick refresher course:
The Feeder(s):
Colorful
hummingbird
feeders are key!
Hummingbirds
are especially drawn to bright reds, corals, pinks, and purples. Feeders
provide a reliable food source for hummingbirds, as well as a dependable spot where you will be able to see them in action.
Hummingbirds can be fiercely territorial at feeders, and will often chase others away. If you want to see more hummingbirds, hang more hummingbird feeders. Hang them out of sight from each other for true hummingbird harmony in your yard.
Not sure if you believe what we're saying about territorial behavior? Watch this little video we captured last year: two hummingbirds, each working hard (and expending a lot of energy!) to keep the other from landing on the feeder:
Hummingbird Battle! (We were relieved to see that they gave themselves one moment of harmony...before going right back into battle.)
The Nectar:
Keep your feeders filled with FRESH nectar to supplement the supply that your blooming plants provide. If the nectar in your feeders ever looks cloudy, it is time to replace it. To avoid waste, we usually start the season mixing smaller batches of nectar and increase the recipe as visitors and feedings ramp up. We offer easy mixes that blend right with your tap water - no boiling necessary, and no harmful artificial dyes. There is never a need for the red dye in the nectar!
You can also add native flowering plants to your landscape to offer a variety of nectar sources throughout the season. Stop by one of our
Native Plant Sales and ask the growers about the best hummingbird-friendly choices available on that particular day.
Protecting the Nectar:
The nectar in your feeders can be compromised and left just plain unsippable in a variety of ways. Direct and intense sunlight can cause nectar to turn cloudy and rancid, heavy rain can dilute it, and ants can invade it! Each of these problems will cause hummingbirds to shun your feeder, and we
certainly can't have that!
We have solutions to these problems: specially-designed ant moats can be attached to your feeders to keep them safe from invasion, and protective domes can hang over your feeders and keep them safe from the elements. Best of all, these products are bright red and act as an additional beacon to those color-seeking hummingbirds.
