Hummingbird shows us how to re-visit the past for the purpose of releasing it instead of being caught in a permanently backward flight pattern … It teaches us to hover in the moment, to appreciate its sweetness.” – Constance Barrett Sohodski

Hummingbirds, of the family Trochilidae, are among the smallest of birds. The name hummingbird comes from the humming sound made by their wings, which beat 12-90 times per second (depending on the species). Nature’s helicopter, hummingbirds have a unique ability to hover and fly upward, downward, and backward in a horizontal position. Did you know that the tiny hummingbird can fly at speeds exceeding 34 miles/hour? It’s true!

It is no wonder then that — with the exception of insects –hummingbirds have the highest metabolism of all creatures, consuming more than their own weight in nectar each day. To do so, they must visit hundreds of flowers.

How can you help the hummingbird in its search for food, inviting this ravenous little guest to dazzle your own garden? It’s easy!

Hummingbirds enjoy particularly bright colors including red, orange, yellow, purple, and pink. Because of this, you will notice gardeners who plant to attract butterflies often also attract hummingbirds. As specialized nectarivores that drink nectar, a sweet liquid found inside flowers, most hummingbirds have bills that are long and straight (or nearly so). Therefore, they find certain flowers like the day lily, hibiscus, and obedient plant particularly attractive as their unique bills are most conducive to consuming nectar out of tubular-shaped flowers.

While hummingbirds are enjoying mealtime, they are also playing a vital role in plant survival; their feathers pick up pollen from one flower and deposit it in the next.

For a quick way to attract these winged wonders to your garden or yard, just boil sugar and water and pour the cooled mixture into saucers or feeders designed to take advantage of the hummingbirds’ long bills.

If you are interested in learning more about the plants that might attract hummingbirds to your garden, contact Custom Gardens, LLC.

Sincerely,

Ellen Covner
Custom Gardens, LLC