Ruby-throated hummingbird at John Clayton trumpet honeysuckle
Nothing is sweeter
than seeing a hummingbird visit your yard. Sugar-water feeders are one way to attract these vibrant birds, but an even better bet is an abundance of flowering plants that they love. Grow perennials to keep hummers coming back each year.
Cardinal flower stems offer many blooms for ruby-throated hummingbirds.
Plant with Purpose
"If we want to truly support birds, our first instinct must be to create native habitat," says Becca Rodomsky-Bish, a project leader for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. "While sugar-water feeders are a fun way to pull birds in close to our homes, they don't resolve the long-term issue that many birds such as hummingbirds can have, which is where to forage for native food resources." Hummingbirds may consume about half their body weight in nectar each day, feeding approximately every 10 to 15 minutes. (They also eat small insects, especially during nesting season.) All that sipping means they require access to many blooms every day. Native perennials are a terrific option to fill that demand.
Bee balm is native to North America and attracts pollinators such as the ruby-throated hummingbird.
"Plants that are attuned to your region will bloom and produce what is needed, when it is needed," Becca says. "Provide a variety of plants that produce flowers at different times in the season to best align with the resources hummingbirds require to successfully recover after long migrations, raise their young and fuel up to prepare for their fall migrations."
This story is from the June/July 2022 edition of Birds & Blooms.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the June/July 2022 edition of Birds & Blooms.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Clever Cowbirds
Learn more about these birds that are infamous for letting others raise their young
Ask the Experts
Pros offer spring plant care tips and tough IDs
Rustic diy Birdhouse
Whether you're hardcore handy or an everyonce-in-a-while crafty person, you probably have a small pile of scrap wood handy. Grab your tools and turn your extra materials into any house wren's dream nest box.
THE LATEST IN Lilacs
Learn about updated varieties of this timeless classic and how to take care of them
Meet the ORIOLES
GET TO KNOW eight TYPES SEEN THROUGHOUT THE U.S. AND WHAT MAKES EACH ONE STAND OUT
CBD FOR YOUR PAIN
Everyone feels the hurt as you age, but CBD can help you deal with it
Welcome, New Blooms
Update your yard with 2024's freshest florals
Western Blues
Beckon these regional bluebirds to your yard with nest boxes and mealworms
Incredible Eggs
Fun facts about these tough yet fragile wonders
Life Well Lived
Surprising facts about bird life spans