Introduction
Hummingbirds are awesome creatures. They appear to be so exuberant, lively and energetic that one gets the feeling that they are actually humming while going about their work. Hummingbirds are the smallest species of birds on the planet. The typical length of hummingbirds is about three to five inches. The bee hummingbird is the smallest among all species of hummingbirds. This beautiful little bird is native to Cuba, weighs less than two grams and is just 5 cm long! Hummingbirds can fly up to speeds in excess of 50 km per hour. They can flap their wings as fast as 200 times per minute. This flapping of the wings causes a low humming noise and this is how the birds get their name. Hummingbirds are the subject of much interest among bird lovers from all over the world. Let us take a look at how to care for hummingbirds.
History
Hummingbirds are delicate creatures and many of the 325 species are threatened. Thus, it is not advisable to trap them and house them in cages. However, you can enjoy the beauty of these birds by creating conditions which will attract these birds to your yard. Hummingbirds predominantly feed on nectar that they gather from the flowers with the help of their long beaks. Hummingbirds feed by hovering over flowers and meticulously sucking the nectar through their beaks. Humming birds cannot walk; they only use their legs to perch. If you have many flowering plants in your yard, then this will automatically attract hummingbirds. This is the most natural method of observing these birds. Hummingbirds are especially attracted to red colored flowers. Planting bleeding hearts, petunias, bee palms and honeysuckles are best known to attract hummingbirds. However, one can also attract these birds in other ways. The most common method involves use of bird feeders. Many types of nectar feeders are available in the market. These feeders contain nectar which is also available commercially. Nectar feeders are generally ant and wasp proof. The feeders are usually red in color as this helps to attract hummingbirds. People who are not fond of too much red often use purple color.
Features
If you do not want to purchase nectar that is available in the market, then you can also make your own nectar for hummingbirds using the following recipe: boil 4 parts of water and add 1 part of sugar to it. Let the sugar dissolve and cool the solution completely before adding it to the feeders. Always use pure water. Tap water contains chemicals and is not suitable for hummingbirds. You can purify water by boiling and then filtering it. You can also use bottled water. Do not add molasses or honey to the water and sugar solution. Hummingbirds are not suited to such additives and find them very difficult to digest. Also, these substances do not have as much energy as sugar (sucrose). Clean the feeders periodically to avoid contamination. Many people add red dyes to the water and sugar solution to attract hummingbirds. However, these dyes may be toxic and thus it is recommended to avoid them completely.
Tips and comments
Humming birds also like to feed on small insects. Avoid using insecticides in your garden. This will attract insects as well as hummingbirds.
