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YardSmart Marin

FEEDING HUMMINGBIRDS

By: Tracey Liao Van Hooser   |   May 4, 2023

If you’re like us, watching hummingbirds brings so much joy! We love the sound of their wings as they hover and flit about the garden and their cheerful twitters and squeaks. Their brilliant colors flash in the sun. It's no wonder so many people want to welcome hummingbirds into their yard. Here’s our best advice on how to do just that:

 

Plants are the Best Hummingbird Feeders

Hummingbirds’ favorite plants feature brightly-colored (especially red) tubular flowers full of nectar such as Scarlet Monkeyflower, California fuschia, and Scarlet Bugler. Yards full of native plants seem to attract more hummingbirds, an Audubon study found, but here are some native and non-native plants that hummingbirds love. For even more ideas, check out the UC Marin Master Gardener Plant Finder.

 

The flower’s tubular shape doesn’t make it difficult for hummingbirds to access the nectar because they have incredibly long, forked tongues. Check out this slow-motion video of their tongues in action and learn all about hummingbird tongues here. Let us know if your kids think this is as cool as we do!

Avoid Insecticides

Did you know that 80% of a hummingbird’s diet - and 100% of a baby hummingbird’s diet - is insects? They especially love ants, spiders, gnats, mosquitoes, aphids, and fruit flies. If you kill all of the insects in your yard, you won’t have many hummingbirds (or many birds at all). If you have a bug problem in your home or garden, visit our Bugs page to learn safe, effective, and targeted ways to manage your problem - without the indiscriminate killing caused by pesticide use. And don’t fret the moment you see an insect! Not all insects are a problem. Some insects are beneficial and will help you keep the bad bugs under control. The hummingbirds are happy to help too - when nesting, they can capture up to 2,000 insects in a single day!

 

Neonicotinoid insecticides are shown to directly harm hummingbird metabolism. Neonicotinoids are absorbed into every part of the plant - including the nectar and pollen - and have been devastating to pollinator populations. Some plants you purchase at the nursery may have been pre-treated with these pesticides; read labels and ask the nursery staff before you buy. And, of course, please don’t use neonicotinoids in your yard.  

 

Hummingbird Feeders

Many people also enjoy having hummingbird feeders. You can easily find them for purchase in many stores and online. Before installing a hummingbird feeder, please note:

• Select a feeder that can be easily dismantled for cleaning. Feeders must be emptied, thoroughly cleaned, and rinsed extremely well at least once per week. You’ll need to do this every 2-3 days if the syrup looks cloudy, if the weather is warm, or if the feeder is not in the shade. Otherwise, bacteria and fungi can easily grow in the sugar syrup. Here’s detailed advice for properly maintaining your feeder.
• Use only white granulated sugar to make your syrup. Molasses, honey, brown sugar, turbinado sugar, powdered sugar, and artificial sweeteners are not safe for hummingbirds. Do not add red dye. Read these instructions or watch this video to learn how. 
• Be sure to place your feeder out of reach of cats. Cats are the main predators for birds. But did you know that the praying mantis can also be a hummingbird predator? Watch this video of a close call - and one of a hummingbird who did not get so lucky. If you see a praying mantis on your feeder, gently move him to another part of your garden where he can eat some bugs instead. Other creatures prey on hummingbirds as well.

 

Water

Although hummingbirds drink nectar, they need access to water as well. Traditional bird baths do not appeal to them. They prefer moving water, like a dribbling fountain or a mist. This article explains how to build a solar fountain. Similar to the hummingbird feeder, any water source must be cleaned regularly to avoid spreading disease. You don’t need a water feature to see lots of hummingbirds.

Photo © 2023 Gary Yost www.garyyost.com

If You Plant It, They Will Come!

If you’ve added the right plants and avoided spraying pesticides, hummingbirds will come! Here in Marin, the Anna’s is the most common type of hummingbird, but you may also see Allen’s or Rufous hummingbirds. There are over 330 species of hummingbirds; check out some of the beautiful photos here. 

 

If you are really lucky, hummingbirds might build a nest in your yard. Fun fact: hummingbirds use spider webs to hold their nests together! (That’s another reason to leave the spiders in your yard alone.) Learn more about hummingbird nests here.

 

Enjoy watching the hummingbirds!

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