Month: March 2010

Categories
Hummingbird Feeders

How to Select a Hummingbird Feeder

Having a hummingbird feeder in the yard is probably the easiest way to attract hummingbirds.  There are so many varieties available, so which feeder should you select?  There is no perfect answer to this question, but after having read this post you should have a better idea of the types of things that you should consider when trying to select the feeder that you want for your yard.

The first consideration should be the color of the feeder.  It is important to note that the hummingbird feeder you select does not have to be red.  It can be decorative in nature and add to the asstestics and beauty of your yard.  Many of the feeders on the market today will have some red on them, but if the one you select does not you can hang a red ribbon above it to help attract the hummingbirds to it.

The next thing to consider is what size of hummingbird feeder to buy.  If you are just starting out with trying to attract hummingbirds, I would suggest you start out with a smaller sized feeder.  You can not be sure when starting out the number of hummingbirds that will be visiting your yard.  The smaller size of the feeder will helpfully prevent the spoilage of the nectar in the feeder.  If you choose to buy a larger sized hummingbird feeder, only fill it up particially with nectar until the number of birds visiting the feeder increases.

Another consideration is where to place the hummingbird feeder.  The feeder can be placed on tree braches, garden stakes or a metal hook.  If you have multiple feeders, then place the feeders out of site of one another, because male hummingbirds are quite territorial and will try to defend them.  Feeders can be grouped together also, because it will be impossible for the male hummingbird to defend all the feeders, thus more of the hummingbirds will be able to feed at the same time.  You will also want to hang the feeder in a shady area rather then in direct sunlight to try an help prevent the nectar from spoiling as a result of its exposure to direct sunlight.  You can also place the feeders near plants that attract hummingbirds and the birds will find the feeders.

It is important that the feeder be very easy to clean.  You will want to do this each time you refill the feeder or every three or four days in very warm weather.  A clean feeder is the best way to prevent mold and bacteria from forming which can be very harmful to the hummingbirds.

Bees and ants are common pest associated with hummingbird feeders.  How do you solve this problem?  Most feeders on the market today are designed in such a way that will prevent the bees from accessing the nectar reservoir.  To solve the problem of ants, the best solution is to buy a feeder which has an ant mote, which is a device which is hung above the feeder and filled with water.  This device works because ants are unable to swim.

It is my hope that these tips will help all of you who wish to discover how to select a hummingbird feeder. Even if you have heard this information before, it does not hurt to be reminded of it once again because you never know when you might once again have need of it once again.   Maybe now all the various choices which are available on the market today will seem a little bit less overwhelming to each of you.  Here is to many happy hours of hummingbird watching!

Categories
Hummingbird Food

Rose of Sharon Attracts Hummingbirds

If you are looking for a bush to add to your yard, I would like to suggest the Rose of Sharon.  Your ability to select this bush will depend largely on where you live, as this bush is known to do well in zones 5-9 of the country.  Here is some further information about this bush that will help you deciede if this bush is something you would like to add to your yard as a way to attract more hummingbirds to your yard.

Normally, Rose of sharon bushes will be between 8-10 feet tall and have a spread of between 4-6 feet.  However there are some varieties of this bush that will only reach a height of between 5-8 feet tall.  The blooms of this bush can come in a wide variety of colors including:  light blue, lavender, red or white.  The Rose of Sharon often blooms late in the summer as well as leafs out late in the summer, so do not give up if it takes longer then you expect for this to occur.

If you wish to give this bush its desired shape, you can do so by pruning it in the winter of its first two growing seasons.  This will give the bush one main truck, which is why many people tend to refer to this bush as a tree.

The Rose of sharon bush does best when placed in full sun and well drained soil.  If you have an older Rose of sharon bush that is not doing very well, the problem may be caused by fungal damange because the bush has not been placed in an area where there is full sun.

Categories
Hummingbird Videos

The Life of Birds

This video excerpt is from The Life of Birds by David Attenborough.  In it you will discover many fascinating things about hummingbird flight, that there are hummingbirds found in the Andes Mountains and so much more. 

Categories
Dear Mom

What is the Gizzard of the Hummingbird?

This post makes me think of my mom who loved discovering fascinating facts or information on a wide variety of subjects, but particularly nature and wildlife.  Thus, I am certain that she would have loved discovering the information found in today’s post and I hope that you will as well.

Did you know that a hummingbird has a part of its anatomy known as the gizzard?  If so, do you know what particular part of the hummingbird’s anatomy is known as the gizzard?  If not, you will have discovered the answer through reading this post.

The gizzard is the term for the hummingbird’s stomach.  As you might have figured out by now, this is where the food is digested.  A hummingbird is able to digest nectar quite quickly and effeciently, with nectar being able to pass entirely through a hummingbird’s entire digestive system in less then 20 minutes.  That’s right, I said in less then 20 minutes!  Don’t you wish that the digestive process occured that rapidly whith in us humans?

Categories
Hummingbird Food

Verbena Attracts Hummingbirds

Verbena is a plant which is which is known to attract hummingbirds, butterflies, and even small song birds, because of its nectar, seeds and small insects.This plant is long blooming, lavender-flowered, and grows to approximately 5 ft. tall.

Most varieties of verbena plants will begin blooming in the summer and will continue to do so until the first frost occurs. The flowers of this plant come in a wide variety of colors including solid and bicolored blooms which include red, purple, white, yellow, orange, and peach with generally white or cream colored eyes.

This plant tends to do quite well in containers or hanging baskets. This plant will tolerate a wide range of soils as long as it is well drained. This plant usually does best in areas that are sunny but verbena can also tolerate partial shade as well.

Verbena is a plant which requires very little maintenance other than periodic watering and occasional pruning in order to help maintain its shape if the gardener wants bushier, less trailing growth. In order to encourage the plant to continue to bloom, you should deadhead and prune the plant back.