If you want to know how to attract hummingbirds to your garden, you can do so while also delighting in their unique qualities. Not only are they beautiful to look at, but they are also important pollinators and have significant migratory patterns!
There are several ways to attract these beautiful birds to your garden space.
Here, you will learn everything you need to know to attract and sustain them, including the best plant options, care, diet, eco-friendly alternatives to pesticides, and a nectar recipe you can make yourself.
Understanding Hummingbirds
Hummingbird Habitat
A commonly asked question is where do hummingbirds live?
Hummingbirds have habitats and native range in all three Americas. The species are primarily found in South America where the vast majority can be found.
They have natural habitats and location preferences and can be anywhere from high altitude areas to low valleys. Some are found in alpine ecosystems while others live in open valleys, deciduous forests and even your backyard garden.
Their natural habitats usually have high places to perch, mainly due to their high territorial nature. They require high places to survey their territory, find mates, and chase competitors.
Hummingbird Nesting Habits
Where Do Hummingbirds Nest?
They can be a little finicky when it comes to the location of their nests (depending on the species); hummingbirds prefer covered areas, like deciduous forests. The most ideal nesting sites are typically by water sources and places with nearby food, like flowers!
They prefer cooler, sheltered areas that help camouflage the nest and cover the chicks. The nests are typically positioned 10 to 90 m off the ground.
How Do Hummingbirds Build Nests?
The female Hummingbird builds the nest prior to mating. Building the nest takes approximately one week from start to finish.
The size and materials hummingbirds use in their nests can greatly vary depending on species. To put this into perspective, hummingbird nests are small, compact, no larger than 1 inch in diameter.
Nest materials include but not limited to; small twigs, leaves, lichen, moss, feathers, plant materials, and spider silk! (which is a key factor to help hold together the soft, flexible nest).
The nests are flexible and mold and shape as the chicks grow! For this reason, they do not use the same nests year after year.
How Many Eggs Do Hummingbirds Lay In A Season?
The clutch size is typically between 1-3 active eggs or chicks when developed. The female typically has 1-2 broods in a season. Each species has nesting seasons that can vary.
Depending on the climate and location, nesting seasons start dates vary. For instance, nesting can start as early as March in warmer parts of the world but will not start until around July for cooler climates.
Hummingbird Nesting Problems
Some nesting problems include:
- Brittle nests: Nests made using soft and pliable materials can still be brittle. Nests can also disassemble from inclement weather, such as wind or rain.
- Predators: The eggs as well as fledglings are food for predators like birds and snakes.
Related Post: Where To Hang A Hummingbird House?
The Myth of Hummingbird Houses
People often ask do hummingbirds use birdhouses?
Of course, the answer is no, they do not nest in them. Even the open-concept birdhouses you can buy in stores or online don’t work.
Hummingbirds are not cavity-nesting birds. This means the most ideal spots for hummingbird nests are the forks of tree branches, and to nest under shelter but also be out in the open.
The best way to attract hummingbirds is to create a bird-friendly garden. This means growing nectar-rich plants, pollinator plants (native flowers) to attract the insects that are a food source for hummingbirds; as well as adding a habitat features like feeders, water sources that provide water consistently, and why not choose organic gardening for maximum benefit.
Next, we will deep dive into creating a friendly environment so you can learn how to create a Hummingbird haven in your own garden.
This includes the importance of:
- Feeders
- Best placement of feeders
- Best plants
- The positive impact of organic gardening
- And more!
Create a Hummingbird-Friendly Environment
What do Hummingbirds Eat?
The first step in attracting hummingbirds to your garden is to identify their favorite foods.
Because hummingbirds eat mostly nectar as their primary food, nectar provides only sugar and some water to them, and plants provide protein from hosting small insects like flies and beetles.
Do Hummingbirds Eat Wasps?
No, although they eat small insects, they do not eat bees and wasps although they have been seen chasing them from feeders and from food sources such as their pollinator plants.
Hummingbird Feeders
Why are hummingbird feeders important?
They are important because they provide a consistent feeding source year-round.
The Importance of Hummingbird Feeders
Providing a feeding source must be consistent, and a reliable feeding source helps with successful overwintering for birds staying in your area through the winter.
These feeders can also offer a second feeding source when they are migrating, or during nesting, so they are sure to have plenty of food available during important phase cycles each year.
Feeder Placement Tips
There are lots of benefits to feeders! Some tips on the benefits of feeders, and placement of feeders are outlined below.
- Number of Feeders: The more feeders you have, the more hummingbirds you will attract! BUT! This is not good for having a sustainable environment for nesting sites, based on their territorial personality.
- Distance: Feeders should be placed at distances of enough space away from another feeder to ensure that each bird will not see another bird, so everybody gets a feeding share.
- Height: An ideal feeder location would guarantee the feeder is far enough away from predators too. Proper feeder placement consists of sheltered area from wind, rain and direct sunlight. The feeder placement is key for feeding and safety!
- Seasonal: If hummingbirds are in your area, and they stay there all year, do not take your feeders down in the winter! This can guarantee food sources at times when fewer flowers bloom, and food sources can become scarce.
Homemade Hummingbird Nectar Recipe
Making homemade nectar is an easy, cost-effective way to establish a food source for these amazing birds year-round. The best homemade nectar recipe is super easy!
Here is how to make it:
- Mix, in a pot, 1 cup (250 g) of white refined sugar and 4 cups (0.94 liters) of water
- Place pot on the stove and put the burner on high until it boils.
- Stir, and mix the sugar until dissolved and remove from stove.
- Let it cool before pouring into the feeder.
Making your own nectar is a great project for the whole family, and a family experience watching them come and visit your feeders.
Hummingbird Feeder Maintenance
Keeping your feeders clean is very important. Change the nectar every 3 days or so. You should never leave nectar in the feeder for more than 1 week!
Regularly maintaining the feeders will help slow the chances of bacterial growth, and protect the birds from getting sick and/or dying.
How To Clean Hummingbird Feeders
- Throw away any remaining nectar.
- Soak in hot water and dish soap solution.
- Use a bottle brush to scrub the inside and outside of feeder.
- Rinse feeder with cool water.
- Let air dry, or dry with towel before refilling.
Feeder Cleaning Tips!
- You can also use a vinegar solution of 1 part vinegar and 2 parts water to soak your feeder for that extra clean feeling.
- Some feeders are also dishwasher safe!
Best plant For Hummingbirds
The simplest way to attract these tiny birds and create a hummingbird garden is to plant a variety of plants with different bloom times. The more diversity and bloom times you can provide, the more food sources you are supplying throughout the growing season.
Plants That Attract Hummingbirds
Below are the best flowers that I would recommend. The great thing about all these plants is that they will contribute to a nectar-filled garden.
- Hibiscus
- Columbine
- Fuchsia
- Delphinium
- Bee Balm
- Hummingbird Mint
Hummingbird Garden Tips
- Plant trees and shrubs: This will provide nesting material for them.
- Establish a nectar-filled garden: The best plants are ones that are yielding yummy nectar
- Hibiscus: Hummingbirds love hibiscus! They are drawn to the color for a few reasons and they are very high producing nectar plants
- Choose native plants!
- Perching opportunities: Choose tall plants for them to perch and rest on. This gives them a lot of opportunity to survey their kingdom
- Choose bright colored plants: These little guys are attracted to bright flowers like red, purple, orange
Hummingbird friendly plants help promote an ecological context that is friendly not just for these cool little birds but also for other beneficial insects that can help pollinate your garden space and increase biodiversity.
Why Native Plants Matter
Native plants provide a significant part of their food and nectar utilization. By planting native plants into your garden you are helping to support the ecological restoration of critically important ecosystems, and creating biodiverse habitats for them and other birds and bees that live near you.
Why use native plants for hummingbirds?
Native plants have adapted over thousands of years to the local growing conditions of their landscapes. Native plants cultured with local birds and bees have a mutualism relationship with their grown native plants.
Other positive indicators include:
- Drought-resistant
- Low-maintenance
- Cold-hardiness
- Stunning!
These hardy plants will attract many species of birds and pollinators to your garden than a mass of non-native ornamental plants.
Native plant gardening for hummingbirds creates opportunities to steward the land and can also be educational for the entire family. Teach your children about rewilding urban landscapes by demonstrating that your backyard can be beautiful and diverse!
Hummingbird Water Source
Why do hummingbirds need water?
Like most living things on the planet, hummingbirds need water. While they get much of their water from nectar, it doesn’t mean they don’t benefit from a steady food source to drink! A steady water source may help support daily water intake without flowers blooming.
They also love a good bath! Ideally, they will drink from a water source that looks like a bird bath or fountain. Hummingbirds are particularly drawn to moving water and a multi-level fountain would be a great option for an outdoor water source feature.
When creating a safe water source for hummingbirds, ensure the bird baths are low-sided so they can drink safely; you can also create perching spots to add to the safe water source.
Pesticide-Free Zone
When we use pesticides we’re harming not only the insects and the hummingbirds but also other animals.
First off, pesticides kill off bugs that this bird and other important birds rely upon in their diets. Birds can also then ingest the pesticides by consuming infected bugs; this is known as bioaccumulation.
This harms hummingbirds and in turn any animals that could converge with the bird. Even a pet cat can get harmful pesticides through bioaccumulation, if they catch and eat infected bugs or birds.
Pesticides will also affect hummingbirds because of the plant that absorbs the pesticide. When the hummingbird drinks nectar the contaminated plant has already absorbed into itself, this too is an internalization of harmful pesticides to the hummingbird.
Studies show that pesticides negatively influence buzzing metabolism, within hours of ingesting contaminated nectar.
Research shows that pesticide imidacloprid can show up in plants even a year after the spray application. In other words, hummingbirds can in fact absorb harmful pesticides even years after any far away pesticide applications!
Benefits Of Organic Gardening
Why Go Organic For Hummingbirds?
With the huge impact various insecticides can have on entire ecosystems and to ` try’ to manage insect pests, organic gardening provides a simple alternative to a huge problem.
With all of the benefits of organic gardening it is easy to remove the need to eliminate certain insect pests from your garden space. Here are my suggestions for organic gardening:
- Experiment with biological mitigation methods such as ladybugs for aphid issues or ducks for slug problems!
- Use organic fertilizers and bone meal to feed the plants directly.
- Consider vermicomposting with red wigglers and make your own worm compost tea.
- Try to cover your vegetables with a row covers to keep out cabbage moth larvae and other insects intended to munch on your veggies.
- We all need to think about coexisting with all things nature. It is so important to realize that we save or destroy healthy ecosystems. Let’s respect all forms of bugs, birds and animals.
Protect Hummingbirds
Hummingbird Conservation
Hummingbirds are important pollinators. Pollinating many native wildflowers. Hummingbirds are part of a healthy ecosystem and add much delight to any garden space.
However, the hummingbird populations are declining. They are rated as endangered or vulnerable using IUCN criteria, there is no species of hummingbird that is thriving.
Three of the greatest threats facing hummingbirds populations include:
- Habitat loss
- Climate change
- Pesticide use
Hummingbirds are susceptible to changes in the environment and need a portion of native plants and insects available to feed on.
There are many reasons to protect and conserve populations. They can be very fast, and exciting animals and they have evolved to co-exist with certain native plants that require pollination by their species.
They help keep the ecosystems in balance, and protect their diversity and enhance a healthy planet. It is important to support their conversation.
How to Support Hummingbirds
There are many things you can do to support and protect hummingbirds.
One of the things you can do to protect them is through habitat restoration. You can also cultivate hummingbird-friendly gardens. This involves planting native plants, encouraging organic gardening, and providing reliable feeders and water sources for hummingbirds.
You can also help protect hummingbirds by donating to local organizations that support conservation of these beautiful birds in addition to many other endangered or vulnerable bird species.
Participating in various population surveys and bird counts such as Feederwatch, eBird or another citizen science project is a fun, engaging, and educational way to help contribute to all types of birds.
We can all apply effort into the life of a hummingbird to help provide the best chance for survivors.