Want to turn your backyard into a hummingbird haven that keeps these magical creatures coming back day after day? These tried-and-true methods will help you create an irresistible sanctuary that’ll have hummingbirds making your yard their favorite destination from spring through fall.
Two Leak-Proof Feeders, Zero Ants & Bees
Check Price1. Plant Native Nectar-Rich Flowers
Ideally, it is best to provide hummingbirds with native plants and a wildlife-friendly garden for food. Hummingbirds will appreciate the insects and will also love native nectary plants.
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Consider planting, for example, Lobelia, Cardinal flower, Eastern columbine, and bee balm. Brightly-colored tubular flowers are among those that hummingbirds will love.
Plant native flowers that bloom in shades of red, pink, or orange. Hummingbirds are particularly drawn to tubular flowers that they can hover over while sipping nectar.
Good choices for New Mexico gardens include bee balm, cardinal flower, and trumpet honeysuckle.
2. Maintain Multiple Feeders
If you want to put out two hummingbird feeders, make sure they are not within sight of one another. That is because hummingbirds are territorial, and they will try to guard both hummingbird feeders and prevent other hummingbirds from coming into their space.
If the feeders are spread apart, that is less likely to happen, and you should end up with more birds. Some ways to prevent this fighting include having multiple hummingbird feeders, hanging feeders so that they are out of eyesight of one another, and making sure that all of your feeders’ ports are clean and flowing.
3. Perfect Your Nectar Recipe
Nectar Recipe: Make your own nectar using 4 parts water to 1 part white sugar. Avoid sugar substitutes, brown sugar, honey, and red dyes as they can be harmful to the birds.
Every two to three days, dump out any old syrup and refresh with new nectar. Use a basic ratio of 1 part white sugar dissolved in 4 parts water.
Again, do not add food coloring or honey, as these may be harmful. You can store extra nectar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks!
Providing fresh, clean nectar will ensure healthy birds.
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4. Create a Water Feature
Some birds don’t have time in their day to take a luxurious bath (hummingbirds!) so they prefer to fly through mists and sprays of water instead. Point the mister at some of your foliage to get them glistening.
Birds will come down and rub on the wet leaves for a quick rinse. Some people say that the sound of running or dripping water will attract hummingbirds, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be moving water.
A regular bird bath will also help create a welcoming environment for hummingbirds and other birds.
5. Provide Perching Spots
Place your hummingbird feeders near bushes to provide perching spots. Hummingbirds.net says these little birds spend 80 percent of their time perching.
They like to keep an eye on things, not for a long time but long enough to keep an eye out for predators. It’s easier to protect yourself if you can see your predators coming.
Ensure that there are plenty of shrubs and trees in your garden for hummingbirds to use as perching places. Male hummingbirds, in particular, spend time on lookout duty.
These territorial hummers have to defend their territory from other males and look out for hummingbird predators to keep themselves and their ‘families’ safe.
6. Avoid Pesticides
You should avoid pesticides when gardening for hummingbirds, which could hurt the birds directly, and could also kill off the insects that are an important part of their diet. Pesticides may reduce the number of bugs and insects that annoy you, but pesticides can make hummingbirds sick, and these little birds actually need to consume insects to survive!
We recommend skipping the pesticides in your hummingbird-friendly garden.
7. Create Shelter Zones
However, providing a meal for hummingbirds is just one of the essential things a hummingbird-friendly garden should do. Plant plenty of trees and shrubs and create lots of dense, layered planting schemes to provide hummingbirds with places to perch, shelter, shade, and potentially even nest.
Plant some shrubs or small trees in your yard to provide shelter for the hummingbirds. The birds will use these as perches and nesting sites.
You can create a backyard oasis that attracts these fascinating creatures by following these simple tips.
8. Maintain Year-Round Interest
Drifts of bee balm, clusters of fuchsia and columbine, and trumpet vine stands complement rose beds. Providing a continuous bloom sequence through the seasons is key to attracting hummingbirds.
If your garden only blooms in the spring, they probably won’t stick around all year long! Or they may choose to find a different garden next year that provides blooms throughout the summer and fall.
9. Keep Records
Start a journal to track when hummingbirds arrive and depart each year, which flowers they prefer, and their favorite feeding spots. This information becomes invaluable for planning future gardens and anticipating their needs.
Plus, it’s a wonderful way to document your success in creating a hummingbird paradise.
Keep hummingbirds all season
| Spec | What our writers say |
|---|---|
| Native plants | Lobelia, cardinal flower, Eastern columbine, bee balm |
| Flower colors | Red, pink, or orange tubular blooms |
| Second feeder | Out of sight of the first so one male cannot guard both |
| Nectar | 4 parts water to 1 part white sugar |
| Avoid in nectar | Sugar substitutes, brown sugar, honey, and red dye |
| Fridge extra | Up to two weeks |
| Change interval | Every two to three days |
| Bathing | They fly through mist; point a mister at foliage |
| Perch time | Hummingbirds.net says they spend 80 percent of their time perching |
| Pesticides | They hurt the birds and kill the insects they eat |
| Bloom sequence | Spring-only gardens will not hold them all year |
