Want to Learn How to Have Fun with Hummingbirds in Your Backyard?

     Even if you live in the middle of a township or a metropolis, you can draw in hummingbirds to your garden. Some mere steps and adjustments in your garden will make it more hummingbird favorable and you will be honoured with their arrival year after year alongwith their young ones.

The diet of hummingbirds consists of insects, flower nectar or artificial sugar water. Thus, artificial sugar water solvent can be kept in your garden to attract them. The hummingbirds do not have any sense of smell and they rely on sites to find their source of food. If you are making a first attempt to feed the birds, you can hang or plant some red flowers near the feeder. The hummingbirds will be attracted to these red flowers and will easily find the feeders.

The hummingbirds are appealed to the red coloring, so any birdfeeder having red on it will attract the birds. If your bird feeder doesn't have the red color, an artificial red flower can be tied to the feeder and stay away from using the red food coloring in the sugar water which is harmful to them. You must also remember that the hummingbirds are very territorial. Male hummers may show their dominance by hovering or chasing away the other hummers from their feeders. So you can add other hummingbird feeders to your garden and thereby pull in more of these birds.

If you find molds on your feeder, you have to scrub them out with a bottle brush. If you are unable to reach them with the brush, adding some sand and water and rocking the feeder will remove these molds. You should never try to empty the feeders with heavy detergent or soaps as the birds do not like any touches of soap left in the feeder. Hot water should be used to rinse out the feeder each time the nectar is changed. A little amount of white vinegar can also be used with the water for washing.

Hummingbirds are customary creatures and will be discouraged from returning to the feeders in your garden if the nectar is bad. Thus, it is important to hold the feeders clean as sugar water ferments in hot conditions. The feeders have to be cleaned every 2-3 days using hot water with a little measure of white vinegar instead of soap. The hummingbirds don't like soap touches left in the nectar. You should also remember to clean not only the feeding bottle, but also the bottom and portholes of the feeder.

Avoid using pesticides in your hummingbird garden as they can kill or sicken the birds if eaten. Also, the insects you want to kill off can serve as good protein seed to the birds. Sometimes, the male hummingbirds may try to chase away the other hummers from the feeders. To prevent this you can add some other feeders to your garden.

Insects like ants and bees may invade your garden and feeders and drive away the hummingbirds. You have to use the feeders with built-in bee guards and bond moats or nectar protectors on the feeders to control their intrusion. These measures will ensure that your garden continues attracting the hummingbirds.