bird watching | Attract Hummingbirds | Hummingbird Feeders

Image via Wikipedia

Attract And Keep Hummingbirds In Your Yard With Hummingbird Feeders

Throughout time, people have enjoyed watching birds. So much so that many have even made a hobby out of bird watching. Many avid bird lovers travel all over the world to see birds that are on their life lists. However, you don't have to travel the globe to enjoy watching birds. You can get hours of enjoyment from your local varieties of birds in your own back yard by keeping songbird and hummingbird feeders stocked with specific delectable treats to attract them. Besides installing and stocking feeders, you can plant certain plants, trees, and shrubs to attract birds and house birds. And some people even install birdhouses on posts and in trees.

Watching birds at bird feeders placed near your windows can be extremely entertaining. If you have a sunroom or breakfast nook with lots of windows, you can place songbird feeders on one side and a hummingbird feeder on the other side so you always have something to watch. People say hummingbirds aren't songbirds, but I doubt they have spent much time in close company with many, as the little jewel-throated birds seem to sing all the time!

Hummingbird feeders can be purchased in many shapes, sizes, and materials. A glass hummingbird feeder can double as a piece of art and can refract light and bring sparkle into your home on bright, sunny days. A beautiful glass hummingbird feeder can make a wonderful gift for many occasions such as a wedding gift, a housewarming gift or a birthday gift. There are also Hummingbird feeders that look like hurricane lanterns, a cast reel or a slip float for your fishermen friends, a duck call, or a gondola

for your hunter and outdoorsmen friends.

Shades of reds, pinks, purples and yellows are the main colors that attract birds, so many hummingbird feeders are adorned with flowers or designs in these colors. That's because hummingbirds are attracted to the colors of flowers that produce the sweet nectar that sustains their life. Hummingbird nectar is simple to make and can be made at home. All you need to do is boil water and add cane sugar. Boil the water for two minutes, and add one part sugar to four parts water. Allow it to cool to room temperature, then fill your feeders. Any leftover nectar may be stored in the refrigerator.

You can even get hummingbird feeder mobiles with tempered glass nectar containers that are easy to fill and clean. Less expensive options can be found as well. Those are usually made of clear and red plastic. Quite often three or four plastic honeysuckle or hibiscus blooms lead the way to the feeding stations. A hummingbird oasis is round and flat with a circular perch and six feeders. These are handy if you have a lot of hummingbirds.

Attracting hummingbirds to your hummingbird feeders may take a couple of weeks, so be patient. They become accustomed to feeding from one type of feeder, so if your neighbors use something else it may take them a few days to adjust. If you plant petunias, lilacs, honeysuckle, and geraniums, your chances of the birds staying in your yard are increased. Hummingbirds need plants, ants and spiders in the area before they will call it home. They use spider webs to make their nests, and geraniums make great homes for spiders!