Hummingbirds are some of the most interesting backyard visitors that you can invite to your yard. With their speed, colours, and unique behaviours, they are sure to captivate you as much as they do bird lovers elsewhere.
Fortunately, you do not need a big backyard or the perfectly groomed yard to entice hummingbirds. All it takes is a reliable food source, the right location, and a little help to create a habitat that keeps hummingbirds coming back year after year.
Start with a Reliable Food Source
The easiest step toward inviting hummingbirds to your backyard is to provide a reliable nectar source.
Hummingbirds are instinctively seeking the high-energy nectar provided by flowers and the more you offer them, the more you can encourage them to visit. A well-placed hummingbird feeder will help supplement their diets while they look for natural food sources, especially during migrations or the summer when their caloric intake needs can be significant.
When you put up a feeder for the first time, make sure to:
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Place it where the hummingbirds can find it easily
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Locate it in or near a spot where you might already see other birds, perhaps with flowers nearby
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Keep it somewhere visible but away from direct sunlight or wind
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Ensure that it is accessible to you so you can clean and fill it regularly
Pro Tip: If you want to really reel hummingbirds in, just remember, once you put a feeder out that provides quality nectar they know they can count on, they'll remember where you live.
Location is Everything to Your Feeder
Your feeder placement can make or break whether the birds notice it and use it. When you’re putting your new feeder to work, try these positions:
Place it in the Open
Birds need to see potential food sources as they are flying through the air, not hiding behind shrubs or in bushes where they are harder to find.
Locate It Near Natural Food Sources
You’ll also want to plant and cultivate other flowers, plants, and shrubs that hummingbirds will naturally feed on. If you put a feeder up next to these plants, birds might have one reason for stopping by and other reasons to stay.
Keep it Safe and Protected
By providing a feeder with at least a partial roof over the top or placement on a deck, you’ll provide hummingbirds a protected feeding place away from harsh elements, wind and direct sunlight that keep your food fresher and make the feeding process more appealing and safer for them.
Should You Have More Than One Feeder?
Some may think that one feeder would suffice but hummingbirds can be aggressive and possessive over feeding spots.
One hummingbird might attempt to dominate a feeder, blocking off other visiting birds. By putting out more than one feeder throughout your property, you can invite more birds in by:
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Reducing competition between hummingbirds
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Encouraging more bird visitors
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Giving birds choices
Try putting feeders in different parts of your yard to make it impossible for any single bird to defend both spots.
When Should You Put Your Feeder Out?
Hummingbirds are seasonal visitors in many parts of Canada and the United States, arriving when the warmer weather brings blooming flowers and natural food sources.
The best time to put feeders out depends on your location, but typically:
- Put feeders out before hummingbirds arrive in your area
- Keep feeders available throughout spring and summer
- Leave feeders up during fall migration to support travelling hummingbirds
A common myth is that by keeping your feeders out in the fall you prevent your hummingbirds from migrating. This is untrue as migration patterns are determined by seasonal changes and natural instincts, not on feeders.
Create a Backyard That Invites Them Back
Attracting hummingbirds is not just about putting out food but it’s also about creating a welcoming space.
It simply includes:
✓ A reliable source of quality nectar.
✓ Safe, accessible feeding locations.
✓ Flowers and plants that hummingbirds naturally seek out.
✓ Places for birds to rest and seek shelter.
Small changes to your backyard can help you attract more hummingbirds.