How to Attract Ruby Throated Hummingbirds to your backyard

Watching the Ruby Throated Hummingbird as it drinks nectar from flowers and feeders is such a delight. I have feed many birds at my feeders including Cardinals, Goldfinches, Nuthatches and Woodpeckers, but the hummingbird fascinates me the most because of its size and characteristics. The first Hummingbird I ever fed was the Ruby Throated Hummingbird. To tell you the truth, I was not even trying to attract hummingbirds, I was feeding the rest of the backyard birds, and I heard this buzz and it startled me because I thought it was a bee. That poor bird almost got swatted down. I inquired about the bird at a Birding store and that's where I learned what they were attracted to and what type of feeder I should buy. I will share with you some ways to attract this hummingbird and keep it coming back to your feeder year by year. Updated May 5, 2011

Things You'll Need

  • backyard
  • patio
  • hummingbird feeder
  • sugar
  • water
  • patience
  • flowers
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Instructions

    • 1

      Buy a Hummingbird Feeder or plants that attract hummingbirds. Ruby Throated Hummingbirds are attracted to tubular flowers, nectar and sap. The type of flowers that Hummingbirds are attracted to are Trumpet Vines, Bee balm, Butterfly weed, Impatiens, Petunia, Salvia, Cardinal flower, and Coral bells. There are many more plants and flowers that attract the Ruby Throated Hummingbird, but it will be best to either go to Lowe's or a Nursery and ask what plant would be best for your area so that you can attract the Ruby Throated Hummingbird. You can find hummingbird feeders at Walmart, Lowe's and Pet Stores.

    • 2

      Start hanging feeders a few weeks before summer begins. If you buy a plant, make sure it is a nice size plant and place it where you can see and observe the hummingbirds. I lived in Indianapolis at the time I began feeding these birds, and they were seen around the month of May and left around the month of September.

    • 3

      Fill your feeder with nectar and hang in a shady area of your yard or patio. Because my patio received so much sun during the day, I had to change the nectar about every 2-3 days. Look and see if the nectar is getting cloudy, if it is, it is time to change the food. You may still want to change the water every 3 days just to be on the safe side. You don't want to make your hummingbird sick.

    • 4

      If you have more than (1) hummingbird in your area, it may be a good idea to have more than one hummingbird feeder in your garden or backyard. I had a hummingbird that would not let other hummingbirds eat from the feeder. Every time one of the birds would try to eat, it would fly down real fast to block it. If you observe this behaviour, just add another hummingbird feeder a safe distance from the other feeder.

    • 5

      To view hummingbirds up close, buy a window feeder. Don't forget to take pictures of the birds or make a video so that you can watch over and over again.