Hummingbirds Acrobats of the Garden World
Hummingbirds Acrobats of the Garden World
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Hummingbirds Acrobats of the Garden World
I was sitting on the shaded patio one hot afternoon moaning about the heat when a darting visitor approached and changed my outlook on that day. The ruby-throated hummingbird decided my Superbells Dreamsicle calibrachoas was just the feast in which he had been on the search. June is National Pollinator Month, and while we think of bees and butterflies, the USDA says the Ruby-throated hummingbird has an efficiency as a pollinator similar to the honey bee.
As much as a tiger swallowtail butterfly excites me, the sight of hummingbirds in my garden fills me with a different kind of gardening enthusiasm. The artificial feeders are convenient, but when these vibrant birds grace my plants, it's a truly moving experience. While I may be cooking rib-eye steaks on the grill for the family nearby, the hummingbirds are getting their own version of a feast in the flower garden.
By planting a garden with a long season of overlapping blooms, we can become hosts to these miniature birds that fly with the grace of a stealth fighter and the agility of a helicopter. Artificial feeders are a good start, but we can choose plants that truly attract hummingbirds in the flower garden. Luscious Lantanas, Rockin Salvias, and Unplugged Salvias are excellent choices. One of my favorites, the Vermillionaire Cuphea, is always for sale and often overlooked. Even in the shady flower gardens, we can create a haven for hummingbirds with Shadowland Hostas and Soprano Impatiens.
If you want the best of both worlds—hummingbirds and butterflies—then choose plants like Miss Molly or Miss Pearl butterfly bushes. The compact Pugster group is not to be ignored. As is recommended in butterfly gardens, the same holds true for hummingbird gardens: NO PESTICIDES! The hummingbird is in danger of ingesting the pesticide, but many gardeners do not know that these little acrobats also feed on small insects and spiders. It is a bird-eat-bug world out there.
Besides their flying technique, hummingbirds are unique eaters. When feeding, they lick up to 13 times a second. Like me, they eat every 10 to 15 minutes from sunrise until sunset and devour more than half their weight in food.
Believe it or not, hummingbirds go to bed hungry, well, sort of. They have to hibernate through the night, decreasing their heart rate and body temperature, or they reportedly would starve to death. This knowledge should inspire us to grow more flowers and take better care of the artificial feeders. It's our responsibility to ensure these little acrobats have a safe and nourishing environment.
There is much more to artificial feeders than simply hanging in a tree. Nectar from flowers provides more nourishment than sugar water. To provide a better diet, buy packages of instant nectar solution or make your own. To make your own, use 1 part white granulated cane sugar to 4 parts water. You may think this is sugar water, but the big difference is that you now need to boil this solution. Boil for one and a half minutes and then let cool down. Now, you have a mixture much more similar to the flower nectar. Our hot weather can cause rapid bacterial growth so change solutions every three to five days.
You do not have to take down the feeders in the fall and winter to encourage the hummingbirds to migrate. Whether a bird goes or stays is not determined by your feeder. However, that precious food source might mean life or death to a straggling hummingbird that braves it through the winter north of the tropics.
