Attracting Hummingbirds to Your Yard

Now you see them, now you don't. Look quickly or wait until next time. If hummingbirds have decided that your yard has good things to eat, they'll be back-- if only for fleeting moments at a time.

One of the most popular of all birds homeowners hope to attract to their yards is the tiny, fluttering hummingbird. Delicate, playful and lovely, hummingbirds can be a joy to watch as they zip -almost faster than the eye can see-from one flower to another, up, down and around your garden.

If you have been captivated by the aerial acrobatics of these delightful creatures, there are things you can do to encourage them to visit, or even nest, near your home.

Creating a hummingbird habitat on your property can be as easy as providing the birds with several food sources, water, and secure places to build their nests.

Hummingbirds are both insect eaters and nectar drinkers, enjoying trumpet-shaped flowers which are ideally designed for their long, slender bills. Planting a variety of flowers that hummingbirds find tasty is not difficult -hummingbirds are almost always hungry and they like a wide variety of flowers, trees and shrubs.

Hummingbird fans and nature specialists offer the following advice on ways to attract and provide for hummingbirds and other wildlife.

Hummingbirds must eat almost half their weight every day in insects and nectar because they use so much energy flying and hovering.

Putting out a hummingbird feeder filled with nectar is one way of attracting hummers to the yard. A simple nectar made of four parts water and one part ordinary sugar is good, but homeowners must be careful to change the nectar and wash the feeder in hot water every few days to avoid bacteria. Contrary to some opinion, never add red food coloring, artificial sweeteners or honey to the sugar and water solution, experts advise, since this may endanger the health of hummingbirds and promote bacterial growth.