The exact habitat requirements for each species of hummingbird are different. The tips offered in this post are very general and are not intended to help to attract a particular species of hummingbird. The general nature of these tips should ensure that they can be used by anyone interested in creating a hummingbird habitat.
One key to creating a hummingbird habitat is that it should have areas of sun, partial sun, and shade. If the area of your yard where you want to create the hummingbird habitat is sunny most of the day, then you need to plant trees and shrubs. If the area is entirely in the shade, you will want to open up the area to let large patches of sunlight in. Having areas that allow both sun and shade is necessary to grow a wide variety of plants.
You want your hummingbird habitat to consist of many levels of vegetation. The area should have some tall trees, some medium-height trees, some flowers, some grassy areas, as well as some shrubs. These different levels will provide the hummingbirds a variety of choices of where to feed or where to perch to rest or roost.
You want to plant lots of flowers. You will want to choose both flowers that are known to attract hummingbirds as well as others. It is important to select a variety of flowers that will bloom at different times, because there will always be something flowering. The flowers will serve two very important purposes: they will provide a source of nectar for the hummingbirds, and they will also attract insects on which the birds will feed.
It is also important to have a source of water available for the hummingbirds. A hummingbird is quite resourceful and will get water wherever they find it, whether it is beads of water on a leaf, from a brook or stream, or even from a sprinkler. Another way to provide a source of water is by having a birdbath available. The birdbath should have a very shallow water depth to allow the birds to stand in the water if they choose to do so. Adding some small flat rocks to the birdbath will create different water depths within the birdbath.
By creating the right hummingbird habitat, you can create both an environment where hummingbirds not only want to feed but also nest. Having a wide variety of plants will provide the female hummingbird a wide variety of nesting materials from which to choose. Willow shrubs have downy fibers that many hummingbird species will use to build the bulk of their nest. The willows will also serve as a source of nectar for the hummingbirds and it will also attract insects on which the hummingbird can feed.
Your hummingbird habitat should also contain some perches so the hummingbirds can survey the territory. You might want to create some perches that give the birds a good view over the flowers. Hummingbirds will often perch on tree limbs that are above and behind the flowers or even on some bare tree limb.
For many species of hummingbirds, the size and range of their habitats is rapidly decreasing. Therefore, it is becoming increasingly up to those of who love these birds to provide alternate habitat sources. It is my hope that the information contained in this post will help you do so more effectively.