By Pat Dray
Garden Spot
Pat Dray.
I always look forward to the return of the hummingbirds, or “hummers,” in late April or early May. In reviewing my garden journal entries for the past four years, I see that there is very little variation regarding when I see the first one – the earliest I’ve seen one is April 27, and the latest has been May 2. That means it’s time to get the feeders ready and set out around mid-April. Here in Connecticut, we will be most likely to see the ruby throated hummingbird.
Hummingbirds are migratory birds that winter in South or Central America and begin their migration in early February. They travel during the day at a low altitude so that they can see the nectar sources that they require for the long journey. According to Hummingbird Central, these birds are expert at using tailwinds to save energy and have been found to travel up to 23 miles in a single day. They are unique in that their hearts beat up to 1,260 times per minute and their wings flap between 15 and 80 times a second. They require a tremendous amount of energy to support this level of activity.
Although most of us think of hummers as consuming nectar, they also will eat small insects such as aphids and spiders as a protein source. Their favorite color is red, which is why so many commercial feeders are colored red. I find that the feeders that are shaped like a flying saucer are easier to maintain than those that are bottle-shaped, but either type works well.
You can make your own hummer food by dissolving one part sugar into four parts water. You can make the nectar either by boiling the water or heating it in the microwave until the sugar is completely dissolved. Allow it to cool before filling the feeder. You should not add red food coloring, because some colorings have harmful chemicals. You should change the solution at least once a week.
I run my feeders through the dishwasher every few weeks to sterilize them. Remember that hummers are very territorial – we often see them chasing competition away from one feeder to another. If you want to hang more than one feeder, try to have them out of sight from each other.
Hummers also need a water source. If your bird bath is too deep for these tiny birds, you can put some flat rocks in the center so that they have a place to land. As with all bird baths, clean them frequently with a stiff brush to prevent bacterial growth.
You can also plant specific plants that will attract the hummers – generally bright colors with tubular shapes. Some good choices are butterfly bush, lantana, milkweed and salvia. Many of these hummer favorites are also butterfly favorites, doubling your viewing pleasure.
I hope that you’ll be hearing the “hum” soon. You can get up-to-date information on their migration at hummingbirdcentral.com/hummingbird-migration.htm. You can also enter data on when you see your first hummer to keep the map updated throughout the season.