16 Tips to Enhance Hummingbird Migration
Each day it seems there are more hummingbirds coming to our feeder – males, females, and young hummers – with a couple species to watch for daily. Providing the best feeder and flower scenario for hummingbirds, can make the fall hummingbird migration period one to remember for you and your family. Hummingbirds have been on the move for a couple weeks in northern states, with numbers beginning to increase and provide exciting observations throughout September in some states, with sightings continuing through the winter months in some southern areas from Louisiana and south Texas to southern California.
Of course, we’re talking about 15-plus species of hummingbirds in the United States, but it’s a pretty standard procedure to attract any species of hummingbirds – a feeder with fresh sugar and adjacent flowering plants. So hummingbird basics are easily provided for, but there are some other options that can enhance your hummingbird experiences during coming weeks:
– First, you may want to consider adding another nectar feeder, perhaps providing one in a sunny area and one in the shade, or one in the front yard and one in the back; or one at each of two favorite viewing locations?
– A second feeder can be a good option due to the aggressiveness of territorial hummingbirds that intently protect a food source (nectar feeder). The key is to separate the feeders visually, to improve feeding opportunities for the birds during a migration stopover.
– Perhaps you’re thinking about adding a window feeder, with the idea of seeing hummingbirds even closer. It’s a great way to interest children or entertain seniors, as well as impress visitors.
– This period can also be the peak for blooming flowers in many flower gardens, and some birders plant specific hummingbird gardens that are at their best from mid-August to freeze-up.
– It’s not too late to add a fully blooming hanging basket of tubular flowers, or a few of them – preferably red or pink flowers (hummingbird’s favorites) that will attract hummingbirds and provide a nice stopover treat for migrating hummers.
– Potted plants aimed at attracting and benefiting hummingbirds can also refresh and add color to your existing feeding station. Consider positioning planters on the ground and elevated at different levels too.
– It’s also a good time to think about adding a hummingbird garden to your yard, planted now to for next year and future years. Think big, and it will pay off in beautiful flowers and more hummingbird interactions.
– A hummingbird garden can mean landscaping on a larger scale too, if you wish to add a couple different flowering bushes, or a flowering tree.
– When selecting plants, keep in mind when they bloom – for spring migration, summer nesting, fall migration, or more than one hummingbird season.
– Let’s not forget about the attraction of water: Hummingbirds especially utilize a fine mist of water for drinking and bathing in flight – provided by a mister attached to a water hose.
– Overall, what you do for hummingbirds will also attract and benefit a much wider variety of birds – at your feeding station, or in your yard.
– Take advantage of visiting hummingbirds to photograph birds at your feeders, your flowers, and at nearby perches.
– Use a hummingbird feeder as a central element of a “photo studio” using optimum positioning with regard to sunlight and timing.
– We travel with a hummingbird feeder and ready-mixed liquid nectar to see what kinds of hummingbirds we can attract at overnight locations and during extended birding visits.
– You can share your hummingbird interests at work, and school – essentially anywhere you go. Adding a hummingbird feeder at your office or at school is simple and unobtrusive – as long as you keep it clean and filled with fresh sugar-water nectar. Undoubtedly, you will interest others in viewing these birds and learning more about the New World’s hummingbirds.
– We also hope you will read more about the variety of hummingbirds and their natural history and varied ranges – from Alaska to Argentina – including 352 different species, all of which are spectacular! And you can read about each one in the hummingbird family, Trochilidae, at Birds of the World at https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/trochi1/cur/introduction
The first question many birders have is: “Where do the hummingbirds that visit our feeders and flowering plants spend the winter – just type in the species name at Birds of the World.
For some of the basics of providing a hummingbird feeder and nectar, visit Hummingbird Central at https://www.hummingbirdcentral.com/hummingbird-feeders.htm The website also shows a variety of different models of hummingbird feeders available to birders.
Most of all, enjoy the birds around you, including our variety of marvelous hummingbirds!
Share your backyard birding experiences and photos at editorstbw2@gmail.com
