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Wild Bird Facts and Information
If the birding world had a rock star, it would be the
hummingbird. Swift, tiny, secretive and simply amazing to watch, "hummers" are
so hard to spot that catching a glimpse of one can be a summer experience
you'll long remember. But you don't have to be an avid birder to be thrilled
by the sight of a hummingbird. Hummingbirds can be found across the country,
with ruby-throated hummingbirds common east of the Rocky Mountains and a dozen
or more species common in western regions. To maximize your chances of seeing
a hummingbird this summer, take a few simple steps to attract them to your
backyard, where you can enjoy them at your leisure. In spring,
hummingbirds return from their tropical winter retreats in Central and South
America, and this is the best time to attract them to your backyard. Like all
wild birds, hummers have three basic requirements to make a place their home -
access to food, water and a good nesting spot. Offering nectar-rich flowers
and feeders is a good start. But you also need suitable habitat that provides
sheltered perches and good nesting places, encouraging females to raise their
young. Research shows that these tiny birds have a remarkable memory and
frequently return to the same hospitable sites on the same day of each year.
If you feed consistently, you may have return visitors, especially during
spring and fall migrations. If you can get them to nest nearby, too, you'll
have fledglings who also may remember your address in years to come. Female
hummers typically settle in deciduous trees over a clearing or stream. They
fashion their nests from sticky spider webbing, using lichen to camouflage the
exterior and soft plant fibers to cushion the interior. It's probably not
practical for the average hummingbird fan to stock spider webs and lichens in
their yard. But there is a man-made alternative. Hummer Helper is the
first commercially available product that has proven appealing to
hummingbirds. The all-natural material (specially processed with oil left in)
is contained in a wire frame painted red to attract a hummingbird's eye. The
product is endorsed by the Hummingbird Society (hummingbirdsociety.org), an
Arizona-based advocacy group. In the March 2009 edition of the society's
journal, Executive Director Ross Hawkins reported watching females at work
gathering the material. "We recommend 'Hummer Helper,'" he wrote. "It has the
potential to help bring in more hummers, close by where you can observe them,
and to increase the odds that they will nest near you." To start attracting
hummers, hang a small feeder. Nectar mixes are available, but it's easy to
make your own. Use four parts tap water to one part ordinary table sugar,
heated until dissolved. Red coloring isn't necessary. Increase the visibility
of new feeders by hanging red ribbons nearby. The hummingbird's high
metabolism drives it to feed about every 10 minutes, and it examines every
square yard in its range for food, experts say. Keeping the feeder clean and
the nectar refreshed is critical. Spoiled solutions can turn to alcohol and
support mold, both harmful to the tiny birds. In cool weather, fluid can be
left for five to seven days, but during hot spells it should be replaced every
two days. For easy cleaning, pick up a specialized brush like "Best Hummer
Brush." Don't use soap or detergents, which can be hard to rinse thoroughly. A
solution of ordinary white vinegar is a good non-toxic cleaner.Two other
handy accessories are a water-filled nectar protector ant moat, hung above
feeders to keep ants at bay, and an overhead protector like a Hummer Helmet to
keep rain water from diluting nectar solutions. While its shade helps keep
nectar fresh longer, the red color acts as a big red "Food Here" sign. To
learn more about hummingbird research, visit the Hummer Bird Study Group at
www.hummingbirdsplus.org.
Maybe you live in an area where there are a lot of hummingbirds, and have an opportunity to become very friendly with them.
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