Feeding Hummingbirds Naturally

As one who is fortunate enough to live in an area where hummingbirds live for the warm months of the year, I have to say it is one of my biggest delights of being outside.

This spring I have had more than usual which makes for some wonderful evening patio entertainment. At most in the past I would have four of these little busy birds (which seem more like a large flying insect with the speed of their wings and motor hums), but lately there have been seven or eight at a time which forced me to buy a second feeder and hang a few feet away from the existing one. Now they have two feeders to fight over instead of one!

While I don't claim to know a lot about these fun little creatures, I thought I would share what I do know.

FEED and FEEDERS

To make feed for your hummers, combine 1 cup granulated sugar to 3 cups water in saucepan on stove. Heat and stir until sugar is dissolved.  Let cool completely before filling feeders. Any leftover feed, put in a jar in the fridge until needed. Some people add red food colouring to the feed, but I have found as long as the feeder has red on it to attract them, it is not needed.

Hang feeders in a high safe place (away from cats). They really enjoy it if there are tree branches nearby to sit on and observe their domain. I have a metal trellis in a nearby rock garden and they love sitting on the top rung of that while waiting for a turn to go fuel up.

To clean feeders, I have found a great little trick that really works to get that black spot build-up out. To an empty feeder bottle, add about 2 - 4 teaspoons dry uncooked rice and a small amount of water. Shake vigorously until clean. The rice rolling around inside the bottle loosens the grime. Pour out and rinse.

NATURAL FEED

There are books and websites available with lists of flowering plants to have in your garden which attract hummingbirds. I encourage you to read any information you can find. I have learned that it is sight that attracts them, not fragrance. I will list the plants that I have or have had that they seem to like:

Azalea

Columbine

Coral Bells

Fuchsia

Honeysuckle

Impatiens

Morning Glory

Petunia

Trumpet Vine

Last summer I had the pleasure of watching one little hummingbird take a shower in our lawn sprinkler. He flew back and forth, up and down through the water at all angles for the longest time. Once in a while he would sit up on a branch and rest before diving back down in the water again. That was a garden pleasure if there ever was one!