The Bee Hummingbird is the tiniest bird in the world at just two inches in length and 1.8 grams. The Giant Hummingbird is the largest hummingbird at twenty four grams in weight and eight inches long. Hummingbirds have the highest metabolism of any birds and to keep going they have to consume their own weight and more in food daily. So that they can do this they must visit five hundred or more blooms a day to gather the nectar. They have extended beaks and tongues which allows them to reach deep into the blooms. They have the ability slow down their metabolisms when resting, unlike nearly all other animals with a high metabolisms. This lengthens their lifespan, which has been recorded at up to 16 years.

Making A Garden Friendly to the Hummingbirds

To attract hummingbirds to your garden you could plant brilliantly colored shrubs and flowers. Hummingbirds have a poor sense of smell but they are attracted to bright colours. Placing a feeder specially made for humming birds in your backyard or on your terrace will be a focus for these pretty birds. Annuals to plant include salvia, petunia, impatiens, firespike and jewelweed. Perennial plants include hosta, hummingbird mint, cardinal flower, canna, bee balm and columbine. For shrubs and trees pick azalea, buddleia, cape honeysuckle, mimosa, weigela, flame acanthus, lantana, red buckeye and tree tobacco.

Don’t use insecticides in your garden as this will destroy bugs and insects that hummingbirds eat. They also leave deposits on flowers which the hummingbirds could consume. Also provide plenty of roosting places as hummingbirds spend in the region of 80% of their time sitting on clothes lines, twigs etc. Supply plants that will supply materials for nesting to catch the attention of the females. Hummingbirds favor soft nesting material from trees like eucalyptus and willow and from lichens and ferns.

Hanging up brightly colored, specially made hummingbird feeders in your garden will attract the hummingbirds. An excellent idea is to fasten red ribbons that blow around the feeder. It’s also beneficial to supply feeders at assorted heights as hummingbird species all have different preferences. Species that favor low growing plants will visit a feeder sited lower whereas species that feed on taller shrubs and plants will rather visit a feeder positioned in a higher position. Hummingbirds are also very territorial and an individual hummingbird may perhaps defend a particular feeder and stop other birds from coming near. Set a minimum of three feeders at assorted heights all around your garden.

Hummingbirds enjoy bathing in the mist on plants so you might put a mister near to some broadleaved shrubs to supply them with a place to bathe.

A Method of Making Hummingbird Nectar

A sweet nectar can be made by blending together one cup of sugar and 4 cups of water that has been boiled. Let it cool and store in the fridge. Nectar that is unused can be kept safely for up to 7 days. Thoroughly wash hummingbird feeders weekly by rinsing with a mixture of 1 cup of vinegar in four cups of water then washing out with clean water. Fill up with the nectar and hang in the shade. Do not add sweeteners or food coloring. Also don’t use honey as it will ferment and create a fungus that is harmful. Swap the nectar solution in the feeder at least every three days or more often in hot, summer weather.

In Conclusion

It’s easy to make a garden to attract these attractive birds. Give them the food they love and a secure setting and hummingbirds will pay a visit your garden frequently.

See more garden craft ideas at Easy Craft Ideas

Attracting Hummingbirds to Your Garden is a post from: my Pet Kingdom

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Some birds have a way of bringing out the worst in humanity. Perhaps it is an unconscious fear implanted by movies and literature. Take for example the Alfred Hitchcock movie “The Birds” and you get a sense of how ominous and even perhaps deadly some wild birds are to mankind. Look at what a flock of crows is called. It is called a murder. Certain birds have been associated with death and even as messengers of death. Perhaps it is just a bum rap but regardless, mankind has this fascination with anything avian.

To get an idea of the role that the birds in this world have played, you can turn to literature. Edgar Allen Poe’s tale of “The Raven” and its sinister cries of “nevermore” have long riveted audiences. Ravens and crows have definitely gotten their fair share of a bad rap. Even in the classic Disney tale of “Sleeping Beauty,” the evil villainess has a pet crow/raven that is her evil spy.

The wild bird definitely deserves some respect. It is just like other wild animal. You have to keep in mind that it is territorial, will defend itself and has to find a food source. And while crows/ravens have received some bad press thanks to authors and filmmakers, vultures and other carrion eating birds have repulsed mankind for eons. This bird species is a scavenger. Anytime you see vultures or buzzards circling in the air, you know that there is either something dying or something that has already died. Most people do not set up bird feeders to attract these types of birds. They want colorful birds, songbirds and delicate hummingbirds to grace their gardens and yards.

Perhaps it is time that people got over their fear of the birds that have gotten such a tough break in literature and movies. You do not have to worry about going outside and a murder of crows attacking you for no reason. The raven is not a symbol of death or a portent of bad things ahead. They are just two legged, winged wild animals that serve a specific function in the animal kingdom.

Are The Birds A Scary Species? is a post from: my Pet Kingdom

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Birds are everywhere. For bird watchers this is a fabulous thing. Bird watchers enjoy spotting new bird species to cross off their checklist. It not only gives them something to research but it also gives them the opportunity to get outside and interact with nature. This is a hobby that is growing in popularity and it is doing tremendous good in educating the public about how easily mankind can wreck havoc on nature. As a bird watcher you have the opportunity to really see how mankind interacts with wild animals in a natural setting.

Birds range in size. Sometimes a bird is easy to spot based solely on the size. Take for example the ostrich. The ostrich is the largest bird in the species. You will not even need a set of birding binoculars to see this huge example. But on the opposite end of the spectrum are the hummingbirds, which range in size from a few inches in diameter to the size of a bumble bee. Even if the bird is sitting still, you would have trouble spotting it. When it is in flight and zipping around you only get a brief glimpse unless you have special hummingbird feeders set up in your yard to attract them.

If you are a real fan of birds, then you will undoubtedly take steps to attract them to your garden or yard. Even if you live in an apartment with a small patio or balcony you can still find bird feeders to lure certain species in. But you need to take into consideration the type of bird you want to attract. If you are hoping to attract a blue bird then you do not need a feeder that caters to swallows. The more that you put into researching the type of bird you want around your home, the more you will know about their particular eating habits. One further note: make sure that you buy bird feeders that squirrels cannot get into.

If you decide that you do not have the time to fully devote to a new hobby such as bird watching, then you can still appreciate birds for the beauty that they give the world. The next time you are strolling outside, just take a look around. Chances are pretty high that you will see a bird or two. They may not be the exotic ones found in zoos or the rainforest but at least you are getting a glimpse of a wild bird in its own habitat.

Helping You Find Birds is a post from: my Pet Kingdom

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