National Wildlife Federation/ San Diego County

Gardening For Hummingbirds

by Diane Greening, Habitat Steward

One of the easiest birds to attract to a San Diego backyard is the hummingbird. These tiny fearless flyers speed through the air, dive to chase off intruders (other hummingbirds, humans, cats, and even a peregrine falcon), hover, and even fly backward. By creating a mini-reserve in your yard you will be able to observe these gently humming fighter pilots up close- a nice contrast to the noisier ones from Miramar.

The biggest hummingbird magnet in my yard is the fountain. Water spills from a series of small copper basins to a large bowl at the bottom, and the hummers will sip from the streams, bathe in the basins, and even sit right on the edge to lower their tails into the falling water. If the fountain is off, other birds will still visit the basins, but the hummers really like the moving water. They will also bathe in the mist from a sprinkler or even a hand-held hose! The number one requirement in a hummingbird garden is moving water.

Next, the birds would like some food. Hummers both sip nectar and eat insects. If you avoid using pesticides, there should be enough bugs for the birds (and your lizards will help out by eating some, too.) The classic hummingbird flower is a red, trumpet-shaped blossom such as the scarlet larkspur. Their long tongues can easily reach nectar that is too deep for other animals to reach. Popular hummingbird plants include almost any sage (salvia), California fuchsia (zauschneria), fuchsia-flowered gooseberry, and any of the Manzanita species,

But relax, hummingbirds will sip nectar from any flower that produces it. The tiny, flat white flowers on my holly bushes were extremely popular when few other plants were blooming. A male Anna's hummingbird once hovered about a foot away from my face while I was carrying a pot of white yarrow. I froze while he fed. Although he seemed unworried about me, I was glad to be wearing glasses with such a sharp-looking beak so close!

Finally, you could offer hummingbird feeders. I do not use them for several reasons. It is essential that they are cleaned on a regular basis, and cleaning is not my forte. They should be protected from ants. They may attract rats. However, they do attract hummingbirds. The best hummingbird feeder is one that is called Best One hummingbird feeder. It can be found at bird supply stores (but not at your local hardware store). It is the best because it is easy to clean and has a glass bottle. Make a sugar syrup of 4 parts water to one part white sugar. Do not use honey or artificial sweeteners as these will harm the birds. Although it can be mixed cold, it is easiest to bring the water to a boil first, and then stir in the sugar; the boiling also helps retard the growth of mold. DO NOT USE FOOD COLORING. It harms the birds and is entirely unnecessary. There is enough red on most feeders to attract hummers, and they probably can detect the nectar are anyway. The solution should be completely changed every three days (if temperatures 60-85 degrees Fahrenheit), more often if it is hotter. After emptying the solution, rinse the feeder thoroughly with hot water. Soak it for at least 10 minutes in a dilute bleach solution (1 part bleach to 9 parts water), rinse again thoroughly and refill with fresh, cooled sugar syrup.

To protect the feeder from ants, coat the wire suspending it with Vaseline regularly. The ants cannot cross the sticky barrier. If rats or other creatures become a problem, bring the feeder in every night and re-hang it early every morning. The birds will start feeding at sunrise, and need to consume 25% of their body weight in their first feeding of the day.

Hummingbird Links:

The Hummingbird Society
San Diego Zoo on Hummingbirds
Field Guide Listing of Anna's Hummingbird
Hummingbird Website
Pictures of Baby Hummingbirds