Category: Hummingbird Food

Have you ever wondered just how sweet hummingbirds like nectar sources to be? If so this post will provide you with the answer and it may surprise you.

It may surprise you to discover that a hummingbird will reject flower types that produce nectar which is less than 12% sugar and prefer those whose sugar content is around 25%. I myself find it quite interesting to know that even some of nature’s creatures seem to have such a fondness for things which are quite sweet, not so unlike many of us humans.

The ability to have a hummingbird does not require a great deal of space. Anyone who wishes to do so may have a hummingbird garden, even if you live in an apartment or have a very tiny yard. You may be thinking that this just simply is not possible but it truly does not require a great deal of space. Let me explain.

You see, the use of hanging baskets is a simple and effective way in which to attract hummingbirds to your yard. This post will provide you with the necessary information to help you effectively use hanging baskets as a way to attract the hummingbirds regardless of the size limitations your living environment may provide.

The choice of selecting the correct flowers is extremely important. This may seem extremely obvious, but you must select flowers which are known to thrive in hanging baskets and that will also attract the hummingbirds.

The plants you select should have nectar-rich tubular shaped blooms on them. This includes plants such as salvia and petunia which are excellent choices because these allow the hummingbird to easily access the nectar due to their long, narrow bills and tongues.

The plant form is also very important. You will want to select flowers that stick out from a plant’s foliage, by either protruding or dangling. This is important because hummingbirds normally feed while hovering, so this will provide ample air space so the birds’ beating wings easily clear any leaves.

The plants you select for use in your hanging baskets should offer a wide variety of color. Many people often associate the color red with helping to attract hummingbirds. Red is a color which hummingbirds can see from a great distance, so offering flowers that are nectar-rich and come in various shades of red should always attract their attention. However, flowers of almost any color, including orange, pink, purple, white and yellow will also attract hummingbirds and cause them to feed from these nectar-rich plants.

The quantity of blooms a plant produces will also play an important role in attracting hummingbirds. When selecting plants, you will want to choose plants with multiple flowers in open clusters. These types of plants are more appealing than plants like hibiscus that feature a small selection of large blooms.

You will also want to consider the bloom time of the plants you select. Choosing plants that have a long bloom time will help provide the hummingbirds with a source of nectar for an extended length of time. Another way to ensure that the hummingbirds will always have a source of nectar is to select plants that have staggered bloom times.

If you want to attract hummingbirds but think you can not due to space limitations, do not let that stop you. You can successfully do so through the use of hanging baskets. Give it a try! You will be glad you did and so will the hummingbirds.

Making homemade nectar solution is a simple and inexpensive thing to do to provide the hummingbirds with another food source in addition to flowers. Before reading this post, did you know that it is possible to make your homemade nectar solution too sweet? Well, it is so now let me explain why.

The proper proportions to use when making homemade nectar solution is 1 part sugar to 4 parts water. This ratio closely matches the concentration of sugar found in most flowers.

If you make the nectar solution too sweet then it no longer closely matches the concentration of sugar found in most flowers. It is important to realize that making your nectar solution sweeter then the recommend ratio mentioned above will not draw more hummingbirds to your feeder. By using the proper proportion of sugar to liquid when making the nectar solution you are actually helping to ensure the hummingbird’s health.

Using too much sugar when making homemade nectar solution can cause both reproductive and liver problem in hummingbirds. The good news though is that hummingbirds are very smart and as a result the hummingbirds will just find another food source rather then drink nectar solution which is too sweet.

The use of hummingbird feeders is a simple and inexpensive way to provide an additional food source for the hummingbirds. If you choose to make homemade nectar, it is extremely important not to make the solution too sweet. It is my sincere hope that this post has helped you understand why this is so very important.

There is an ongoing debate about the use of red dye in hummingbird food. I do not know if there will ever be a final resolution to this debate, but I do know what I believe on this issue and I want to give you some things to think about concerning this issue.

The use of red dye is absolutely unnecessary to attract hummingbirds. In fact, informal experiments using side by side feeders, one with red syrup and one with plain, would indicate that the birds do not like the taste of red dye.

If you are worried that the hummingbirds will not find or drink from your feeders unless it contains red dye, keep the following things in mind. Most feeders on the market today have some red on them and you can tie a red ribbon onto the feeder to attract the birds to the feeder. Given time, the birds will eventually find your feeder regardless if your nectar solution contains red dye or not.

Here is an important fact to remember. Natural flower nectar is clear, not red. Hummingbirds don’t look at nectar anyway. What I mean by this is that the birds are looking for flowers of the right shape and color as well as the quality and quantity of the nectar source which us available.

It is important to remember that the make up of all flower nectar is sugar and water. Yes, plants do have trace amounts of electrolytes or chemicals found in them, but there is no proof that hummingbirds use or need them for good health. In my opinion, none of the hummingbird food mixes seem to make an attempt to duplicate flower nectar accurately.

Please take the time to consider what I have said on this issue and make your own informed opinion on the matter. My goal in writing this post is not to force you to agree with my own opinion, but to get you thinking about the matter so you can make your own informed decision on the matter.