Lesson 2: KEEPING BOTH YOU AND YOUR HUMMERS HAPPY
In this lesson, you will learn the Dos and Don'ts of attracting hummingbirds, how to make nectar, how to keep your feeders clean, and information about hummingbird migration.
DOS AND DON’TS
Here are some tips to ensure a positive hummingbird experience in your backyard:
* DO hang seed feeders to discourage other nectar-eating birds from your hummingbird feeders. Hummingbirds will not eat seeds, but most all other backyard species will. Hang the seed feeders a few feet away from hummingbird feeders in order to prevent any competitive behavior.
* DON’T use duct tape, oil, or Vaseline anywhere near your feeders. People may advise you to do this if your feeders attract ants, but the oil and tape are dangerous to hummingbirds.
* DO allow bats to raid your hummingbird feeders during the night. While this can be frustrating because you must refill the feeders in the morning, bats are very helpful animals because they pollinate plants. If you really don’t want the bats to eat the nectar, remove the feeders at night and replace them at dawn.
* DON’T be concerned if you see fewer hummingbirds at various times during the summer. Females may be nesting, and they eat less while doing so.
* DO hang red ribbon at the top of your feeders (out of the way of feeding and perching areas) if you have had no luck attracting hummingbirds to your yard. Red often attracts hummingbirds since many nectar-bearing flowers are red.
* DON’T go anywhere near a nest if you see one. Not only might you frighten the mother away from the eggs, but you might also alert predators to the location of the nest. All hummingbird nests in North America are cup shaped and no larger than a baseball. Watch the nesting activities from a distance with binoculars.
* DO leave your feeders out and filled all winter if you can. Some hummingbirds don't manage to migrate at the proper time or essentially "get lost." Your feeders can keep them alive until they can make it south. If it becomes so cold that the nectar freezes, bring your feeders indoors until spring. Contrary to popular belief, feeders do NOT prevent hummingbirds from migrating.
* DON’T destroy spider webs in your yard if you can help it because hummingbirds use the silk to build their nests.
* DO paint red fences (especially electrical fences) or other red objects another color, as red can confuse hummingbirds into believing the fence is a flower. This confusion causes many hummingbird injuries and deaths every year.
* DO keep a small birdbath with shallow water for hummingbirds. If your current birdbath holds deeper water, put rocks in the bottom to make it more shallow for the smaller birds.
* DO turn on light sprinklers if you have them. Hummingbirds love to bathe by flying through sprinklers.
* DO hang planters with hummingbird flowers near your feeders if you don’t have a backyard garden.
* DO try to have your feeders filled by dawn or as early as possible every morning. This is especially necessary if bats raid your feeders during the night. If hummingbirds find your feeders empty, they will look for food elsewhere and may never visit you again.
* DO make sure your feeders are full about an hour before dusk. In order to survive the night’s sleep without eating, hummingbirds will gorge at the end of the day in order to store energy.
* DO visit a garden shop to purchase a leaf mister, as hummingbirds love to bathe in them.
* DO save animal habitat by recycling and purchasing recycled products. This helps to reduce the number of landfills necessary for our waste, which in turn, reduces the amount of land taken from the birds.
What if you follow all of the instructions with no luck? First of all, be patient! It can take a couple of seasons for the hummingbirds to find you. Once they do, they will remember your yard and visit year after year as long as you keep your feeders freshly stocked.
Have you discovered other DOs and DON'Ts?
