Hummingbirds are the living jewels of the garden, and are only found in the Americas. I live in the Southwest, and every summer I attract many different species of hummers in my backyard. They are beautiful and entertaining to watch! An interesting trivia fact about hummingbirds is that the first European explorers to the Americas thought that they were some kind of insect when they first saw them! When you think about how small this bird is, it's sensible to think that someone would be confused into thinking it was a big insect, considering one was never seen before!

If you compare the size of an average house sparrow to an average ruby-throated hummingbird, you will get an idea of the tiny size of this bird. A house sparrow is about 5 ¼ inches long and weighs almost an ounce. A ruby-throated hummingbird by contrast is only 3 ½ inches long and weighs only one-sixth of an ounce! It's amazing that these little birds can survive!

There are 319 hummingbird species identified, and only 15 are found in the United States. West of the Rockies, (where I live) different species of hummers are more common. I often see several species at one time visiting the same feeder. East of the Rockies, you will normally see mostly ruby-throated hummingbirds. But no matter where you live, you should be able to successfully attract these wonderful birds.

To bring the birds to your backyard this summer you will need to set up nectar feeders (hummingbird feeders) around your yard or garden. Hanging ones are preferred, but window feeders with suction cups can also be successful in attracting the birds. You can buy these feeders at Wal-Mart Stores, hardware stores and pet stores. They are surprisingly strong and sturdy, and are not very expensive! I have four hanging feeders in my back yard, and they are all visited daily. You can hang them from brackets or from low tree branches.

The feeders should have several openings because of the territorial nature of hummingbirds. They will fight over a feeder, so it's best to have several openings to lesson the combat! The feeders should be placed outdoors at about May 1, or when the last frost is over. They should be taken up in October, so the birds won't stay in the area, and will fly south on their migratory route.

A good trick to get the birds to first notice the feeder, is to place it near some flowering plants in your garden. You can plant hummingbird-attracting flowers such as gladiolas, hibiscus, snapdragons and zinnias to even further attract the birds. When selecting your hummingbird flowers, select the ones that have all or mostly red color, since the birds are attracted to red. When they have found the feeder, you can then locate it to a more suitable place in the landscape, such as in a shady spot or in a better place for viewing the birds from the house.

Now that you have your feeder and have decided on a place to hang it, you'll need to fill it with nectar. There are many commercial nectar mixes available on the market. You just mix it with plain water and pour it into your feeder. Some have a harmless red dye added. This makes it easier for you to check on the level of nectar in the feeder. I like to make my own. I use ¼ cup of white granulated sugar to 1 cup of water. I then add several drops of red food dye, and several drops of a high potency pet bird vitamin supplement. It makes me feel good to add the vitamins, since I know the birds are getting added nutrition and not just sugar water. A good one is made by "Premium". You can find it in any pet store.

So why not put up some hummingbird feeders in your backyard today? It's not a very expensive hobby, and the birds will delight you! It may take a week or two for the hummers to find the feeders, but by using these tips, you should be able to attract these little living jewels all summer long!