3 Ways to Attract Hummingbirds

Bird watching has never been an intentional hobby I took on but it became an especially enjoyable and interesting hobby when I moved to my home on The Gulf of Mexico. I’ve just always been fascinated by seeing these creatures and all their different shapes and colors. And so many find their way to my backyard; like Great Blue Heron, Egret, Roseate spoonbill, Osprey, and even Eagles; Hummingbirds capture my attention more than any other bird.

While these tiny birds appear fragile and delicate, they are actually quite resilient—migrating thousands of miles every year. Hummingbirds can fly forwards, backward, sideways, and even hover midair. Their wings beat 70 times per second and three times that rate when they are diving. No wonder they’re so eye-catching!

Although the area I live in is naturally an attractive location for wildlife, I do a few simple, but key things to make sure I attract hummingbirds:

3 Ways to Attract Hummingbirds:

1. Plant Flowering trees and plants: Tubular shaped blooms regularly attract Hummingbirds. These special creatures like this type of bloom because they contain a lot of nectar at their base.

Hummingbirds rotate their entire wing when flying, thus they have an inefficient flight pattern. This requires them to eat an exorbitant amount of food daily. They go to blooms where they are likely to find a lot of nectar.

Some of the best trees and flowers to attract Hummingbirds are:

• Bee Balm
• Bleeding Hearts
• Fire Bush
• Fuchsia
• Honeysuckle
• Larkspur
• Petunia
• Red Bottlebrush
• Salvia
• Trumpet Vine

Related: 5 Ways to Keep Birds Safe & Healthy

2. Put out Hummingbird feeders: Put feeders in plain sight, but away from heavy traffic. Make sure to keep your feeder clean and mold free. While store-bought nectar is available, it’s easy and more cost efficient to make your own.
   

   One my favorite hummingbird feeders is this one above, a mother’s day gift from Meagan. She got it from Amazon.

3. Remember Hummingbirds love the color red: Hummingbirds are drawn to the color red because blooms of this color tend to have a lot of nectar in them. If you put out Hummingbird feeders, make sure they have red hues in them.

Related: 10 Flowering Plants Toxic to Dogs & Cats

Easy Hummingbird nectar:

Mix 1 part sugar to 3-5 parts water that has been pre-boiled. Let cool before adding to the feeder. This nectar can be refrigerated up to 2 weeks. Never add red dye to your nectar.

Once these methods of attracting Hummingbirds are adopted, it may take a bit for these lovely birds to find their way to your yard. Also, remember they can be difficult to spot even when they are nearby because of their quick movements. The perks of your patience will likely be the enjoyment and pleasure of seeing these beautiful little creatures!

How do you attract Hummingbirds to your yard? Let me know in the comments section.

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Lisa

Lisa is a mother of three lovely young women and is a new grandmother to a baby boy! She has been married to her high school sweetheart for more than thirty years. Lisa is originally from Dearborn Heights, Michigan, but has lived in the Tampa Bay area since 1984. Running a small business for over 25 years and raising a family has made for a busy, busy life with many ups and downs; it’s definitely been an adventure.

Lisa’s always involved in one project or another whether it’s work related or serving her community. She also recently went back to school to finish her bachelor’s degree in American Studies. Lisa tries to make every day a good day—that means learning something new, practicing kindness, and enjoying the present moment.