Saturday, April 14, 2007

Hummingbirds

What’s another name for “a sugar-powered insect eating machine”? If you answered a Hummingbird, you’re right!

Hummingbirds get the energy they need to maintain their astonishing metabolism primarily from the nectar in flowers and the sugar water they find in backyard feeders. Additionally, hummingbirds also consume large amounts of insects for protein, vitamins and minerals that are an essential part of their diet. The female spends most of her time catching small insects and spiders to provide the large amounts of protein, not sugar, needed for her chicks’ growth.

In addition to the 20-plus species of hummingbirds that occur in North America north of Mexico, there are 328 other species of hummingbirds in the Western Hemisphere. The only hummingbird to occur east of the Mississippi River is the Ruby-throated Hummingbird. When they begin migrating northward for the summer, they can be spotted in backyards as early as late February in the southern United States and April in the northern states. Fall departure for southward migration typically occurs between July and November. In coastal California, Oregon, Washington and Vancouver Island the Anna’s Hummingbird does not migrate at all and year round birds mean year round feeding!

Putting up a nectar feeder can help attract these tiny iridescent birds to your backyard. A new feeder may be found sooner if it is hung over or near a garden of plants popular with hummingbirds. Some common flowers that attract hummingbirds in all regions include: Bee balm, Bergamot, Canna lily, Columbine, Daylily, Coralbells, Pineapple sage, Red salvia and Zinnia. The use of pesticides around hummingbird plants should be avoided. Hummingbirds might directly ingest pesticides sprayed onto flowers, which could sicken or kill the birds.

If the sugar solution in your feeder ever becomes cloudy, it has spoiled and should be discarded. During the hot summer months sugar water can spoil in as little as two days. Nectar feeders should be cleaned every time the feeder is refilled. Discard any leftover sugar water and flush the feeder and all parts with hot water. Do not use soap, hummingbirds do not like the taste it leaves behind. If you have used soap in the past, that’s OK, you can easily remedy the situation by rinsing the feeder with bleach and thoroughly rinsing all parts with clean water. Bleach can also be used to remove black mold. A brush should be used to clean the feeder and nectar ports of any mold, dirt or debris.

Wild Class carries a variety of nectar feeders, cleaning accessories and informational books about hummingbirds. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email sales@wild-class.com or post your questions or comments on the Wild Class Blog. We’re here to help you be successful with all of your backyard birding endeavors.