Hummingbirds are found all over the Americas including the Caribbean. Well-known for their hovering ability and their skill at backward flying, hummingbirds hover by flapping their wings at high speeds up to 80 times a second.
The smallest bird in the world is the Bee Hummingbird at just 2 grams in weight and two inches long. The Giant Hummingbird is the largest hummingbird at twenty four grams in weight and eight inches long. They have the highest metabolism of all birds and to sustain this they must consume more than their own weight in food every day. To do this they must visit five hundred or more blooms daily to gather the nectar. They have long beaks and tongues so they can reach deep into the flowers. They have the ability slow down their metabolisms when resting, unlike the majority of other high metabolism animals. This lengthens their lifespan, which can be as long as seventeen years.
Planting A Hummingbird Friendly Garden
To attract hummingbirds to your garden plant brilliantly colored flowers and shrubs. The sense of smell of Hummingbirds is very poor but they can be attracted by bright colours. Placing a hummingbird feeder in your garden or on your patio will draw these beautiful birds. Plant annuals include jacobinia, salvia, beard tongue, jewelweed, impatiens and petunia. Some perennial plants include bee balm, costa, yucca, canna, lupine, cardinal flower and foxglove. For trees and shrubs pick buddleia, lantana, tree tobacco, mimosa, flame acanthus and azalea.
Do not use pesticides in your garden as this will kill insects and bugs that hummingbirds eat. They also leave deposits on the blooms which the hummingbirds could consume. Also provide a lot of roosting places as they will spend approximately 80% of the time sitting on twigs, clothes lines etc. Make available plants that will provide materials for nesting to attract female hummingbirds. Hummingbirds prefer downy nesting material from trees such as eucalyptus and willow and from lichens and ferns.
Placing brightly colored, hummingbird feeders in your garden will attract the hummingbirds. A good scheme is to fasten red ribbons that move in the wind all around the feeder. It’s also a great idea to hang hummingbird feeders at various heights as hummingbird species all have different preferences. Species that prefer low growing plants will visit a feeder located lower whereas species that feed on taller plants and shrubs will prefer to go to a feeder located in a higher position. Hummingbirds are also very territorial and one hummingbird may well guard a single feeder and prevent other birds from approaching. Place no less than 3 feeders at different heights all around your backyard.
Hummingbirds love to bathe in the mist on plants so you might put a mister close to some broadleaved shrubbery to provide them with a place to bathe.
Making Hummingbird Nectar
A sweet nectar can be made by mixing together one cup of sugar and 4 cups of water that has been boiled. Let it cool then keep in the refrigerator. Unused nectar can safely be kept for up to a week. Thoroughly wash hummingbird feeders once a week by rinsing with a solution of 1 cup of vinegar in 4 cups of water then washing out with clean water. Re-fill with the sugar solution and suspend in a in the shade. Don’t add food coloring or sweeteners. Also don’t use honey as it can ferment and create a a fungus that can poison the hummingbirds. Change the nectar solution in the feeder at least every three days or more often when the weather is hotter.
Conclusion
It’s not hard to make a garden to appeal to these attractive birds. Provide them with the food they love and a secure setting and hummingbirds will pay a visit your garden frequently.
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