Attracting
Hummingbirds
One good way to enjoy the company of hummingbirds is to plant a hummingbird garden. In addition to providing them a natural diet, a hummingbird garden is an excellent way to attract them to your nearby feeder. Since hummingbirds, like most birds, have virtually no sense of smell, the flowers that attract them tend to have little or no fragrance. They feed by sight on a regularly-followed route. Their inquisitive nature will quickly lead them to investigate any possible new source of food.
Using a Feeder. Hummingbirds typically arrive in late March or early April. The best color for a feeder is bright red to attract the birds from a distance. Never fill your feeders with anything but a sugar-water mixture of 1 part sugar to 4 parts water.
Do not use food coloring of any kind and never use honey! Honey can develop a fungus which can be fatal to hummingbirds.
Be sure to clean and refill your feeders weekly. Do not worry about leaving your feeders out in fall. They migrate on changing day length, not on availability of food.
Using a Feeder. Hummingbirds typically arrive in late March or early April. The best color for a feeder is bright red to attract the birds from a distance. Never fill your feeders with anything but a sugar-water mixture of 1 part sugar to 4 parts water.
Do not use food coloring of any kind and never use honey! Honey can develop a fungus which can be fatal to hummingbirds.
Be sure to clean and refill your feeders weekly. Do not worry about leaving your feeders out in fall. They migrate on changing day length, not on availability of food.
Favorite Hummingbird Flowers
Below are some recommended plants for a hummingbird garden. Availability and varieties are always changing so check with our annual, perennial and nursery professionals to learn about additional plants that would work.
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