hummingbirds?" is a big question we get every summer.  Hummers require a little work, but with some dedicated and consistent effort, you will be rewarded with lots of these special little birds during the next few months.

Hummingbirds are attracted to flowers, especially red, orange, purple and blue tubular-shaped flowers that provide lots of nectar. You want to create the best possible hummingbird "garden" with a mixture of several hummingbird feeders along with some of their favorite plants. And by several, we mean running at least three or more feeders. Five to ten is even better. Some folks we know run as many as 20 - 60 feeders! You can cluster them, or spread them out. It really doesn't matter - when you have that many feeders and plants, one bird can't monopolize all of them and territoriality breaks down. Yes, you will still have skirmishes. But that's just their feisty nature.

Being a good hummer host means keeping their nectar fresh and their feeders clean and free from mold and bacteria. Nectar should be changed every 2 - 3 days to prevent spoilage. You also want to keep their feeders pest free. Ant moats are the best invention ever! Just fill them with plain water and hang them above your hummingbird feeder. Ants won't cross the barrier, and as an added bonus songbirds love to drink from them. If bees or wasps are a problem, switch to using saucer-style feeders that don't drip or leak. Hummers can reach the bottom of the feeder with their long tongues, but the bees and wasps can't. Remember hummers get all their protein and nutrients from eating tiny insects, so limit the use of pesticides in your yard.

August and September are always our peak hummer months. Banding studies show that hummingbirds often return to the same yards each year during migration, so over the years you will attract more and more returning birds! But be patient. It may take a while to build your numbers.