Meeting the food requirements of the ruby-throated hummingbird
is the greatest secret to attracting them. Despite common belief,
hummingbirds are not strictly nectar feeders. Insects are the
primary source of protein for adult hummingbirds and their
young. An adult female can consume up to 2,000 insects per
day. Small invertebrates including mosquitoes, gnats, small
bees, fruit flies, spiders, caterpillars, aphids, and insect
eggs make up a portion of the hummingbird’s diet.
In natural
settings, insects are attracted to “weedy patches” that
have a mixture of taller grasses and forbs (non-woody, broadleaf
plants). Some wildflower garden designs provide the required
structure for ample insect populations, but naturalized areas
containing a rich mixture of native forbs and grasses are excellent
insect habitats. Hummingbirds will forage for insects in naturalized
areas, but will also search rock walls, bricks, cliffs, and
other structures for insects, often stealing small insects from
spider
webs.
If you live in rural areas or if your yard
is more secluded, simply tilling small areas in the spring and
leaving them fallow
for 3-5 years is one simple low cost approach to developing these “weedy
patches” for insects. Leaving borders or selected areas
of lawn un-mowed is another cost effective way to provide insect
habitat for hummingbirds. However, local ordinances and weed
laws in some neighborhoods may preclude such practices. Check
your local codes and ordinances prior to initiating these practices.
For
backyard landscaping, it is critical to present these naturalized
areas in a manner that is pleasing to you and your neighbor.
Integrate them with other landscape features so they don’t
stand out. Naturalized areas can be made more attractive and
acceptable to neighbors by giving them some limits and defining
their boundaries. Mow definite borders around them, pave a path
through them, place a small segment of fence in front of them,
or plant a few brightly colored flowers around their borders.
Applying a few of these suggested practices will enhance the
aesthetics of insect producing areas in your backyard.
Native
wildflower gardens and flowering trees and shrubs can provide
abundant insects. These areas can be attractive additions
to any yard and provide the needed structure insects require.
The recommended practices above can be used to demarcate definite
boundaries around flower beds. Species such as purple coneflower
(Echinacea purpurea) or bee balm (Monarda didyma) attract insects
and can visually enhance any garden. Careful selection of additional
flower species (discussed below) will not only help to attract
insects for hummingbirds, but can also provide nectar for both
hummingbirds and butterflies.
Hummingbirds have a very high metabolism. They can fly about 27
miles per hour and their wings beat 53 times per second.
It takes a lot of high-energy food to support this level of activity.
A hummingbird must eat its own body weight (about 3
grams) in nectar every day. Hummingbirds feed throughout the day at 5-miunte
to 1-hour intervals.
Nectar, an essential part of the hummingbird’s
diet, is obtained from one of two sources: flowers
or nectar
feeders. Flowers planted
in your gardens and around your yard provide a valuable
source of nectar for hummingbirds.
About 150 species of plants
are pollinated by hummingbirds rather than bees. Flower color
and structure in these species are less
attractive to bees and other pollen feeding insects. Red is one
color that bees do not see as well; therefore, many of the flowers
that are pollinated by hummingbirds tend to be red. Flowers designed
to favor hummingbirds usually don’t offer perching platforms
like many other flowers. These flowers often point downward and
have long corolla tubes that exclude most insects.
By selecting
a mixture of flower and shrub species that have overlapping blooming
seasons you will provide an available nectar source to
hummingbirds visiting your yard throughout the growing season.
Extensive lists of plants for hummingbirds are available in several
of the publications listed in the References section. The following
species are provided as a guide to getting started.
Trees
The Ohio buckeye (Aesculus glabra) is a native tree with flowers
that provide nectar for hummingbirds. Other nectar trees include
horsechestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) and tulip poplar (Liriodendron
tulipifera).
Shrubs
Common shrub species providing nectar for hummingbirds include
rhododendrons (Rhododendron spp.), deciduous azaleas (Rhododendron spp.), rose mallow (Hibiscus moscheustos), and pepperbush (Clethra spp.).
Perennials
Copper or red iris (Iris fulva), columbine (Aquilegia
canadensis),
phlox (Phlox spp.), beardtongue (Penstemon spp.), red morning
glory (Ipomoea coccinea), bee-balm, bergamot (Monarda spp.),
lilies (Lilium spp.), cardinal flower (Lobelia
cardinalis),
fire-pink (Silene virginica) , skullcap (Scutellaria spp.),
foxglove (Agalinas spp.), gayfeather (Liatris spp.), royal catchfly (Silene
regia),
and scarlet sage (Salvia splendens) are perennials that will
add beauty to your gardens and will ensure that some nectar
is being provided throughout the growing season.
Anuuals
Annual flower species most attractive to hummingbirds include:
pinks (Dianthus spp.), zinnia (Zinnia elegans), snapdragons
(Antirrhinum spp.), Mexican sunflowers (Tithonia spp.), scarlet
sage (Salvia
coccinea), flowering tobacco (Nicotania spp.), and jewelweed
(Impatiens capensis).
Vines
Adding some native vines like trumpet creeper (Campis radicans),
coral or trumpet honeysuckle (Lonicera sempivirens), crossvine
(Bignonia capreolata), or passionflower (Passiflora spp.) on
trellises around garden edges or yard borders can also provide
a source of nectar for hummingbirds.
Nectar can also be made available by providing artificial feeders.
Feeders can provide the nectar equivalent of 2,000-5,000 flowers.
Nectar feeders also provide a common focal point in your yard
where these colorful visitors can be readily observed throughout
the day. Feeders provide a steady and valuable food source
in early spring when most flowers are not yet in bloom. This
food availability is important in providing energy for hummingbirds
that are preparing to reproduce. In addition, they can supplement
natural sources of nectar throughout the summer and fall when
plants in flower gardens are between flowering stages. In the
fall, feeders are important in helping hummingbirds gain weight
for the long migration. Prior to migration, hummingbirds will “balloon” from
their normal 0.1 – 0.12 ounces to 0.19 – 0.22 ounces.
This additional .07 ounces will sustain them for their non-stop
trans-gulf migration of 18 – 22 hours.
When selecting a nectar
feeder for your yard, look for feeders that are easy to disassemble
and clean. Red feeders will more
effectively attract hummingbirds, but are less attractive to
bees. The wasp and hornet guards (honey bees seldom, if ever,
come to feeders) on the feeder should be red (not yellow).
Selecting
the proper site for your feeder is also an important consideration.
Look for a shady area that is open enough to allow
hummingbirds to freely fly around the feeder. The shade cools
the nectar and delays spoiling on hot summer days.
Remember
that hummingbirds are territorial. One dominant male can keep
other males away from “his” feeder. As a
result, you will attract a larger number of hummingbirds by providing
multiple feeders. Feeders should be spaced 10 – 15 feet
apart. When you see more than four birds using a single feeder,
or when you see a male chasing off other males, add another feeder.
As you keep adding feeders, you may be surprised at the number
of hummingbirds you attract.
Hummingbirds need to rest between
feedings. Locate your feeders near trees or perching areas so
they don’t have to move
long distances between feeding and resting locations. Nearby
perches also give them a place to wait their turn.
Ripe fruit
next to feeders increases its attractiveness and also attracts
gnats and other insects eaten by the hummingbirds.
If you do not have a large number of hummingbirds that drain
your feeders regularly, change the nectar every 3-4 days. This
will ensure that the nectar doesn’t ferment or become rancid,
cloudy, or moldy. Feeders should be cleaned every week or so
with soap and water, rinsed with vinegar, and finally rinsed
thoroughly with water. This will help keep your birds healthy.
If ants become a problem on your feeder, water filled ant guards
can be installed to keep ants out. Don’t use insecticides;
they may be harmful to hummingbirds.
Nectar solution for hummingbirds
can be made by simply mixing four parts water to one part sugar.
Boil the solution for 2 minutes
to slow fermentation. Do not microwave the solution because it
can cause a breakdown in the sugar molecule, thus changing its
nutritional value. The mixture can be refrigerated until needed
to replenish feeders. Sugar water is a perfectly acceptable if
the feeder has a lot of red on it. Don’t add honey, artificial
sweeteners, or food coloring to the mixture. These items may
pose some health problems for the hummingbirds.
Leave the feeder
up as long as birds are coming to it in the fall. This will not
stop or delay their migration. Leaving feeders
up through October will make them available to other migrant
ruby-throated hummingbirds passing through even after “your” resident
hummingbirds have left. By leaving a feeder up later in the fall,
you might attract another species of hummingbird that has been
visiting Indiana the past few years. Two of the Selasphorus species
of hummingbirds (Rufous and Allen’s) have been seen at
various locations in Indiana over the past several years.
Ruby-throated hummingbirds are primarily a woodland species
and require some woodland component nearby to fulfill their
habitat
requirements. Trees are used for resting and for nesting
cover. Landscapes that have some patches of woodlands or mature
hardwood
trees interspersed with yards, gardens and meadows provides
the additional food source of insects and nectar hummingbirds
require. Wetlands, ponds, and streams, can enhance hummingbird
habitat due to the greater insect abundance in some of these
areas.
Ruby-throated hummingbird nests are usually
located 10-20 feet above the ground in deciduous trees on small
horizontal
branches.
They prefer isolated or undisturbed forest areas for nesting.
Hummingbirds will return to the same nest each year and will
rebuild if necessary. Nests are made with down from dandelion,
thistle, and milkweed, and portions of ferns, mosses, and young
leaves. These materials are attached to the limb with several
yards of sticky spider webs and droplets of tree sap. The nest
is camouflaged with lichens usually found in the nest tree
or surrounding trees. Some of these nest materials can be provided
in your flower beds and surrounding yard plantings.
Like most small birds, hummingbirds have their share of predators
including the praying mantis, snakes, blue jays, crows (nest
predators) and occasionally toads and frogs. The number one
predator of hummingbirds is probably the domestic cat. By
providing food at a centralized location such as flowerbeds
and feeders,
we often make it easy for cats to kill hummingbirds. Cats
should never be allowed to roam freely, as they kill many
species
of wildlife including birds, amphibians, small reptiles,
and mammals.
Webmaster