Photo: Ruby-throated Hummingbird with Scarlet Beebalm, Sarah Holtz
Plant NOVA Natives
Hummingbirds may be the tiniest birds on the planet, but they are among the easiest and most delightful to observe. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are especially common in northern Virginia during the spring migration months of April and May and are the only species of hummingbirds who breed here. Most Ruby-throated Hummingbirds we spot through mid-May are flying through to other destinations. But some will choose to stay for weeks if the landscape offers them what they need.
With forethought and some planning, you can have a clear and frequent view of these 3.5-ounce, dive-bombing, backward-flying, shimmering, drama-obsessed, and Ferrari-engine-powered birds. If that sounds like fun, here are some tips to attract them now and get them to linger for the season.
Feed them nectar
Hummingbirds have extreme metabolisms. A Ruby-throated Hummingbird’s heart beats up to 1,200 times per minute and its wings beat 53 times per second. They must consume very specific foods to survive, and they eat almost constantly.
At least 20 percent of a hummingbird’s diet is nectar. They can’t taste “sweet,” but the nectar is a source of high-quality carbohydrates for their energy needs. They are therefore attracted to areas with nectar-producing native plants, many of which you can purchase, plant and grow. Before you make your plant selections, however, consider this. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds need to find and consume nectar through spring, summer, and fall. You should therefore select nectar-producing plants that flower at different times during the growing season.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird with Scarlet Beebalm, Sarah Holtz
Cardinal Flower, Eastern Red Columbine, and Coral Honeysuckle are considered the “big three” wildflower nectar sources for hummingbirds. Their flowers are all red, which signals the presence of carbohydrates to hummingbirds but not to bees who can’t see the color. They have also developed long tubular flowers with a pendulous and perch-less form, making them ideal sources of nectar for hovering, long-billed hummingbirds.
Of these three, Coral Honeysuckle is probably the number one recommended native plant for attracting hummingbirds. It blooms continuously through the growing season, timing its first bloom in northern Virginia close to the arrival of migrating Ruby-throated Hummingbirds in April. Eastern Red Columbine blooms in the spring and provides an early source of nectar, while Cardinal Flower begins blooming in July and lasts approximately 6-8 weeks. Planting all three around your property ensures a steady flow of nectar for many months.
You can also supplement your nectar-producing plants with hummingbird feeders filled with sugar water that mimics the carbohydrate content of nectar. Feeders can be purchased at any wild-bird center and hung near your window for close up views of the birds. Make sure you select a feeder that is easy to open and clean. Bacteria and fungi grow quickly in them, especially if placed in the sun. Once a week, or more frequently in warm weather, disassemble and clean your feeder thoroughly in hot water with mild dish soap. Scrub the pieces with a clean brush, rinse in cold water, and air-dry before refilling.
The Cornell Lab of Ornithology provides a recipe for making your own hummingbird feeder solution. Use ¼ cup of granulated cane sugar per cup of unsoftened, hot, and non-distilled water. In cold rainy weather you can make it a bit stronger if you like with up to 1/3 cup of sugar per cup of water. While some people boil their sugar water solution, that is not necessary if your drinking water is safe and your feeder is kept clean. Never use food coloring in the solution.
Feed them protein and fat
Although we tend to think of hummingbirds as mostly nectar eaters, that isn’t close to the truth. According to Doug Tallamy, an entomologist at the University of Delaware and national proponent of incorporating native plants in residential landscapes, only 20 percent of a hummingbird’s diet is nectar while 80 percent is composed of insects and spiders. Cornell’s “Birds of the World” reports that rough estimates from fecal samples indicate a large percentage of insects in the birds’ diet, perhaps as high as 50-60 percent. Whatever figure further study indicates, it’s clear that only biologically diverse ecosystems that have incorporated a range of native plants and native trees can produce enough insects and spiders to feed any species of birds consistently and well. This is because native plants and trees co-evolved with specific insects, so they are entirely interdependent upon one another.
An adequate supply of insects, particularly caterpillars that birds use to feed their young, is simply necessary to attract and keep hummingbirds. Spiders, flies, aphids, caterpillars, and gnats are all common sources of protein and fat in a ruby-throated hummingbird’s diet. Dr. Tallamy believes that hummingbirds are actually insectivores who happen to eat nectar. If your yard is bereft of native plants and trees, hummingbirds can’t stay there, especially when you consider that they build their nests using spider silk to bind and hold the construction materials together. Such a landscape can neither feed them nor help them to successfully breed. It also follows that you must not spray your yard with insecticides, since chemicals intended to kill ticks or adult mosquitoes will kill all the other insects as well.
Know when to expect them next year
If you are able to attract hummingbirds this year, remember to put out your clean feeder once again in mid-April to welcome them back. There is evidence that they have strong “site fidelity,” meaning they tend to return to their favorite feeding and breeding sites year after year, a remarkable feat for such small and graceful creatures.
For more details, see the Plant NOVA Natives website, the Wildlife Sanctuary Program's website, and Cornell’s All About Birds.