Hummingbird Recipe For Attracting Hummers To Your Yard

The Best Recipe for Getting More Hummingbirds to Visit Most people are hooked after seeing a hummingbird hovering around their feeder for the first time. They are mesmerized by the enchanting littl...

The Best Recipe for Getting More Hummingbirds to Visit

Most people are hooked after seeing a hummingbird hovering around their feeder for the first time. They are mesmerized by the enchanting little birds, and want to see them more often. Getting more hummingbird visitors to your yard can be easy if you follow this 5-step hummingbird recipe for attracting them.

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1. Get the Perfect Feeder匱hen Get a Few More

You want to keep two factors in mind when selecting your hummingbird feeder: what capacity do you need (do you get a good number of hummingbirds already or is this your first try at attracting them) how attractive it is to hummingbirds and how easy it is to refill and clean.

Hummingbirds are drawn to brighter colors first, so you抣l want to select one that features this captivating color. However, when a feeder is full of nectar, they will find it no matter the color. Most feeders have flower-shaped feeding ports, which is a nice feature, but not totally necessary.

Just as important, if not more so, than finding a hummingbird feeder that attracts the birds, is finding one that is easy to maintain. Your hummingbird feeders need to be refilled and cleaned regularly to keep your visiting hummers safe. Nectar can spoil easily, especially in warmer weather, so it needs to be replaced often to prevent harmful mold and/or bacterial growth. See Step 3 below for more details on how to maintain your hummingbird feeders.

The best hummingbird feeders are the ones you can fill from the top, designed with sports-bottle functionality. Not only do they attract hummingbirds, but they make refilling a cinch. To fill, just push down to shut the feeding ports, pour in the nectar, and pull to reopen the ports. Filling is easy since they have a wide opening at the top. No funnel is needed, unlike traditionally designed hummingbird feeders. Another benefit is they don抰 need to be flipped upside down to fill, and then flipped back to hang, which often results in a sticky mess. Plus, with fewer parts, these feeders are easy to clean.

Once you determine the right hummingbird feeder for you, make sure to get a few more. These tiny birds are known to be very territorial, going to great lengths to defend flowers and feeders. If you want to attract more than just a single hummingbird, you may want to place several feeders in your yard.

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2. Get Your Feeders Out at the Right Time

Typically, hummingbirds visit North America once the weather warms up, typically in early March. They arrive as early as February in Florida, but don抰 arrive until late May in the Upper Great Lakes area. It抯 important to know when hummingbirds will be visiting your area. Once you check online for the average arrival date, put your feeders out 5-10 days beforehand.

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3. Provide Hummingbirds with Good, Safe Nectar

Making your own nectar is more convenient and easier than running to the store for it. A great hummingbird recipe requires these steps: bring 4 cups of water to a boil then stir in 1 cup of pure granulated sugar, until it抯 completely dissolved. Remove the mixture from the heat until it cools down, and finally use it immediately and store any remaining nectar in the refrigerator.

Pure, granulated sugar is key to an effective and safe hummingbird recipe. Never use any substitutes, such as Equal, Splenda or Sweet扤扡ow as these have a different chemical makeup than sugar and can harm or even kill the hummingbirds. The same goes for natural substitutes. Don抰 use honey, brown sugar, powdered sugar, maple syrup, or Karo syrup as these can also be harmful.

In addition to preparing safe nectar, cleanliness is another key factor in a successful hummingbird recipe. These smart little birds will quickly abandoned a neglected feeder, finding more suitable food sources.

Bacteria and mold can quickly spoil the nectar, making hummingbirds sick. You can discourage bacterial and mold growth by placing your hummingbird feeders in a shady area. This will not stop the growth, however. Your feeders still need to be cleaned every 2-3 days, and even more frequently during high summer temperatures.

4. Add a Hummingbird Garden to your Yard

Planting flowers and shrubs that hummingbirds love makes for a successful hummingbird recipe. Not only does a hummingbird garden provide them with a natural diet, it抯 a great way to attract birds to your nearby feeders. However, because of their inquisitive nature, they抣l investigate any new possible food source, like your nearby hummingbird feeders.

When selecting plants for your hummingbird garden, keep in mind that cultivated hybrids often produce less nectar than the wild ones.

Visit your local nursery for the hummingbird favorites best suited for your climate. Ideally you抣l want to choose a variety that flower at different times so you抣l have a hummingbird garden constantly in bloom throughout the season.

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5. Make a Comfortable Place to Hang Out

Hummingbirds spend about 80% of their time perching. Offer inviting places to perch in your yard, such as a clothesline or twigs. In addition to resting their wings for their next feeding session or territorial romp, hummingbirds also love water. They will dive in and out of sprinklers or misters. Setting a mister in your birdbath on a hot day is a great way to make your yard a favorite of theirs. Plus, misters use very little water.

If you follow this 5-step hummingbird recipe, your yard can be a favorite spot for hummers.?/p>