First, a few facts. Of the 340 species of hummingbirds that exist, all are found only in the Americas, with 17 of those species in the United States, although most of that number stay near the border with Mexico. In our area, we can expect to see the Ruby-throated hummingbird.
Photo courtesy of Paige Burns
The other day I was sitting on the front stoop of my house for a few idle moments.
I heard a loud “hum” announcing the presence of a hummingbird at the flowers in the bed beside me. I watched as it visited the phlox, coneflower and black eyed Susans, searching for nectar. I never cease to feel joy and awe in the presence of these amazing creatures. Earlier this summer, on social media and other sources, I was hearing “chatter” that people were not seeing as many hummingbirds this year as they had in the past. Hummingbirds, like many other birds, as well as insects and wild animals, are facing challenges and stresses in the environment. While the problems are numerous, perhaps overwhelming, we, individually, can do some small things to help hummers thrive.
First, a few facts. Of the 340 species of hummingbirds that exist, all are found only in the Americas, with 17 of those species in the United States, although most of that number stay near the border with Mexico. In our area, we can expect to see the Ruby-throated hummingbird, which is the only species to nest east of the Mississippi. Each winter they fly back to southern Mexico and Panama, and return in the spring.
Hummingbirds are amazingly quick and fast, flying up to 45 miles per hour in short spurts; their hearts beat 1,200 per minute during flying. Their very high metabolism requires constant food, and they are an important pollinator since they feed on nectar from flowering plants. Research has shown that the part of the hummingbird brain related to learning and spatial memory is the largest, in proportion to brain size, of any bird, up to five time larger than in some songbird brains. This allows hummingbirds to remember with great accuracy the location and timing of valuable blooming plants, as well as the location of feeders in yards, from year to year.
Hummingbirds are highly territorial, due to their need to protect and dominate their food source, and it’s common to see aggressive aerial dogfights as two hummers squabble over space. I once had a hummingbird impale itself by its long pointed bill in the screen on my front porch during a chase (it was fine: it quickly got back to fighting!). Male and female hummingbirds do not make bonded pairs after mating, and the female attends to the nest and babies on her own.
Here are some tips for making your yard more hummingbird friendly. First, provide plants known to be good nectar sources. Native plants are best, such as Tulip poplar trees, shrubs such as Mountain Laurel, sweet pepperbush, and wild azalea; vines such as crossvine, Carolina jessamine, coral honeysuckle, and trumpet vine; and flowers like beebalm, crested iris, phlox, cardinal flower, columbine, and sundrops.
Protect hummingbirds from “sit and wait” predators, particularly cats, which can jump up and catch an unsuspecting hummer. Allow a few dead branches to remain in trees near flower beds or hanging feeders. These provide good resting spots for hummingbirds, giving them a spot to watch for trespassers and clean their feathers. I have trees near my feeder, and I’ve noticed they regularly settle on a few small dead branches hanging nearby.
Because of their amazingly fast metabolism, hummingbirds require constant feeding on nectar. The right flowering plants throughout the season, and one or more hummingbird feeders, will make your yard a haven. If using feeders, simply mix one part sugar to four parts water (I typically will mix ¼ cup sugar to one cup water for my feeder). Heating the water will allow the sugar to mix in more quickly, but boiling is not required. Red dye in the water is not only not needed, it is detrimental to baby hummingbirds, and can cause blindness. In hot weather feeders should have the sugar water changed for fresh every two or three days, and the feeders cleaned with soap and hot water every time.
I’ve been wanting to get a mister or small fountain to provide water for hummers, which will not use a regular birdbath. I also leave a generous number of spider webs on the exterior of my house, which hummingbirds use to help build their diminutive nests. They will also eat quite a few insects, and feed them to their young (which don’t eat nectar until they have fledged). It is critical to avoid using insecticides in the garden for the health and safety of the hummingbirds (as well as other pollinators such as bees and butterflies).
In a crazy world where so much seems out of our control, creating a special haven for hummers is a lovely way to make a difference.
If you’d like more information on gardening for wildlife, contact your NC Cooperative Extension Richmond County Center at 910-997-8255, visit our website Richmond.ces.ncsu.edu, and follow us on Facebook.