Attract Nesting Hummingbirds

Hummingbirds are beautiful, fascinating creatures that many homeowners wish to attract to their yards. Providing an environment that hummingbirds find appealing can encourage them to not just visit, but potentially nest and raise their young on your property. This offers an incredible opportunity to witness their full life cycle up-close. With some strategic planning and the right habitat enhancements, you may be rewarded with the sight of tiny hummingbird eggs and the chance to watch fledglings take their first flights from your own yard!

Why Attract Nesting Hummingbirds?

Seeing hummingbirds buzzing around your feeders and gardens is always a delight. But enticing them to nest takes the experience to a whole new level. Here are some of the top reasons you might want to attract nesting hummingbirds:

• Observe the full life cycle. Watching their courtship rituals, nest building, feeding of chicks, and the fledging process is an exceptionally rewarding experience.
• ** interaction.** Nesting birds become accustomed to your presence, allowing extremely close observation. You may have hummingbirds buzzing around your head or even landing on your hand!
• Understand habitat needs. Providing an attractive nesting habitat helps you learn exactly what hummingbirds require to breed and raise chicks. This knowledge can help your future habitat efforts.
• Contribute to conservation. Participating in nest monitoring programs contributes scientific data to help understand and protect hummingbird populations.
• Endless entertainment. The antics of energetic chicks and rapid growth from hatchling to fledgling provide endless entertainment. Nesting also lengthens the amount of time hummingbirds spend around your yard.

The thrill of contributing to the reproductive success of these captivating birds is a sense of wonder found no where else. Read on to learn how to turn your yard into irresistible hummingbird real estate!

Choosing Plants for Nectar and Insects

Food sources are one of the most important factors when attracting nesting hummingbirds. Adult birds require carbohydrate-rich nectar for energy while raising chicks. An abundance of flowering plants that provide nectar throughout the breeding season from spring through summer is key. Equally important is access to tiny insects that supply protein for growing babies. The ideal habitat offers both nourishment for adults and insects aplenty for chicks to thrive.

Nectar-Rich Flowers

When selecting nectar plants, choose a variety of flower shapes that bloom in succession, providing a steady food supply. Favorites include:

• Native wildflowers like columbine, trumpet vine, bee balm, and penstemon. These coevolved with hummingbirds and are perfectly adapted to their needs.
• Ornamental favorites like fuchsias, petunias, lantana, and sage. Varieties that haven’t been overly hybridized tend to offer the best nectar.
• Fruit tree and berry bushes like raspberries, apples, and lilacs. Their blooms are a hummingbird magnet.
• Specialized hummingbird plants like sages and Weigela. Varieties have been bred for ample nectar production.

Provide nectar plants in beds, hanging pots, and window boxes to create an abundance of bloom opportunities. Maintain flowers by pruning spent blooms to encourage further nectar production.

Plants for Insects

Insects are hard to beat when it comes to providing protein for growing chicks. Luckily, many of the same plants that offer nectar also attract the small insects hummingbirds love to feast on. Other options include:

• Native trees like oaks, willows, and alders that attract huge amounts of insects.
• Butterfly bushes and lilacs that draw in aphids, caterpillars, and other tiny bugs.
• Plants with umbel-shaped flowers like Queen Anne’s lace that attract aphids, gnats and flies.

Avoid pesticides on these plants so insects thrive. Allow leaf litter and dead wood to accumulate in unused areas of your yard, giving insect populations ample habitat. Install a small water feature, as hummingbirds love to hawk insects around moving water.

Proving Safe Nesting Sites

In addition to food, hummingbirds need appropriate spots to build their tiny nests. Mature trees and shrubs in quiet areas of your yard make ideal nesting locations. Here’s how to make your habitat as attractive as possible:

Provide sturdy branching plants – Hummingbirds prefer nesting on downward sloping branches 6 to 20 feet above ground. Dogwoods, willows, live oaks, and fruit trees with lichen-covered branches are favorites.

Include protected sites – Plants with dense foliage or clusters of leaves create protected sites to hide the nest from predators and elements. Trees like Southern magnolia or azalea bushes work great.

Allow deadwood and leaves – Hummingbirds often nest in old woodpecker cavities or decaying stubs on dead trees or branches. Leaving these in place provides nesting options.

Maintain natural areas – Gardens full of native plants, leaf litter, dead branches and other natural debris provide attractive nesting nooks. Avoid excessively manicured spaces.

Limit disturbances – Nesting hummingbirds are easily spooked, so keep nest zones free of bright lights, loud noises, roaming pets and frequent activity.

By providing a variety of mature, protected vegetation where hummingbirds can easily blend in, you’ll meet their nesting requirements beautifully! Monitor plants for nest-building activity.

Setting Up Feeders

While flowers may provide most of their nectar needs, maintaining feeders specifically designed for hummingbirds can further supplement their diet. Take these steps to set up effective feeding stations:

Select quality feeders – Look for models made of durable glass rather than plastic, in bright colors. Pick feeders with perches and ant moats to keep away ants.

Use proper nectar mix – Fill with premade nectar, a solution of one part white sugar to four parts water. Boil the water first to maximize sugar absorption. Never use honey, which encourages dangerous fungi.

Focus on cleanliness – Change nectar every two or three days, or when it looks cloudy. Dirty nectar can make birds sick. Rinse feeders with hot water and scrub any mold.

Use multiple feeders – Offer an array of feeders in different locations to minimize squabbling. Separate them widely to allow for distinct territories.

Hang at proper heights – Mount feeders using poles, hooks or wires such that the nectar level is no lower than 3 feet off the ground up to 5 feet high.

Maintain position and visibility – Place feeders in open spots with sight lines for approaching birds. Move to follow flower availability and rehang if necessary to keep clean nectar flowing.

With well-supplied, fresh feeders, adults can easily tank up on energy before heading out to hunt insects for their young.

Creating Water Features

Dripping or moving water provides drinking and bathing opportunities that attract hummingbirds. Strategically placed water enhancements can effectively draw in nesting birds. Consider adding:

Fountains and drippers – The sight and sound of moving water is irresistible to hummingbirds. Garden fountains with twirling flower designs or simple drippers on stands invite use.

Misters and sprayers – Misting jets that shoot water into the air or sprayers on poles installed in beds give hummingbirds a fun place to bathe and drink.

Rain chains and drippers – Attaching simple rain chains or drippers to gutters running off eaves and drain spouts creates sheets of descending water in rain for bathing.

Bubblers and springs – Large bubblers in ponds or small springs in water features provide drinkable moving water. The splashing sounds they make attract hummingbirds.

Water gardens – Mini backyard ponds and waterfalls make an enticing visual feature. Hummingbirds enjoy perching on rocks and raiding spider webs above the water to get tiny insects.

Live irrigation – Letting a hose or irrigation line slowly drip or spray in an open area allows birds to drink and bathe while you water.

With a diverse water setup, hummingbirds will flock to your yard to keep themselves and their chicks well-hydrated and clean!

Providing Nesting Materials

In addition to food, water and nesting sites, hummingbirds also need soft material to construct their tiny nests. The female builds the nest with non-living vegan materials like:

• Tree down – The fuzzy seeds of cottonwood, thistle, cattail and other plants provide excellent insulation. Leave some on protected surfaces like porch rails where birds can collect it.
• Feathers – Molted feathers from local birds can be gathered and placed where hummingbirds frequent. Avoid feathers from exotic birds to prevent diseases.
• Synthetic fibers – Dryer lint and synthetic pillow stuffing make soft lining. Never use acrylic yarn, which endangers chicks.
• Plant fibers – Fine strands of bark from trees or processed plant fibers like coconut husks make great nest bundles.
• Spider silk – Strands of spider silk woven into a bundle makes stretchable nesting material. Silk also helps anchor nests in place.
• Moss and lichen – Gathered strips of fine green moss or gray lichen serve to help bind nests to branches.

By providing some nesting supplies in a spot sheltered from winds and rain near viable nest trees, you can make it as easy as possible for the female to construct a secure new home.

Installing Observation Tools

To observe nesting activities up close without disturbing birds, specialized equipment comes in handy:

• Nest boxes – Installed properly in ideal spots, nest boxes give easy outdoor viewing of the box interior through side windows.
• Nest cams – Mini cameras can be mounted inside nest boxes or aimed at natural nests for live streaming footage. Some record videos.
• Spotting scopes – High power portable telescopes allow close observation from a distance. Look for models with smartphone mounting capability.
• Binoculars – Choose binoculars with magnification of at least 10x. Roof prism models give the sharpest, brightest images.
• Zoom lens – A camera lens with up to 300mm zoom capability lets you capture excellent shots of distant nests. A zoom with image stabilization gives best results.
• Field microscopes – Compact pocket microscopes allow examining feathers and down at magnifications up to 120x to identify bird species.

With the right gear, you can intimately observe hummingbirds as they nest and monitor activity without negatively impacting their behavior.

Tips for Safe Monitoring

When viewing nesting hummingbirds, follow these tips to avoid unintentionally disturbing them:

• Watch from a distance – Use binoculars or scopes from at least 10 feet away to avoid stressing nesting birds. Stay quiet and move slowly.
• Limit disturbance – Restrict activity around active nests. Don’t touch nests or contents and keep pets away.
• Be aware of signs – If birds vocalize warnings or dive at you, move further away. Respect their signals.
• Keep nest cams discrete – Mount cameras minimally and disguise wires. Let birds adjust before full use. Position lights carefully to avoid disturbing night habits.
• Monitor only as needed – Restrict nest box monitoring to a few quick peeks a week and avoid prolonged observation.
• Avoid handling – Never handle eggs, chicks or adult birds. Human scent can lead predators right to nests. If a handling emergency arises, wear gloves and use extreme care.
• Stay positive! – Focus on marveling at the fascinating process of nesting and rearing young, not just identifying problems to “fix”. Allow nature to take its course.

Hummingbirds are captivating, but also fragile creatures. With responsible monitoring and sensible precautions, you can revel in their private nesting behaviors with minimal impact. Enjoy the privilege!

FAQs About Attracting Nesting Hummingbirds

What time of year do hummingbirds nest?

In most regions, hummingbirds build nests and lay eggs from March through early summer, with many nestlings fledging by July or August. Some southwestern species like Anna’s and Costas may nest in winter months.

How long does it take hummingbirds to build a nest?

About 5-10 days from start to finish. The female gathers materials and weaves the nest alone while the male follows close behind mating with her! Nests are tiny, only 2 inches across and 1 inch deep on average.

What plants attract nesting hummingbirds?

Food plants with tubular flowers rich in nectar, like sages, fuchsias, and trumpet vines draw in adults. Trees and shrubs with small insects like willows, alders and oaks help feed baby birds.

Do hummingbirds reuse nests?

No, they don’t reuse nests between generations. Females build a new nest each season, though a male may return to the same general nesting area. The small nests deteriorate quickly.

How often do hummingbirds lay eggs?

Hummingbirds lay 1-3 tiny eggs in a breeding cycle, sometimes having 2-3 broods in a season. The eggs are pea sized, often white, and hatch in about two weeks on average.

What plants do hummingbirds nest in?

Leafy trees and shrubs like live oaks, hackberries, citrus, firs, redwoods, and rhododendrons are common natural nest sites. They also may nest in vines, cacti, tree stumps or abandoned woodpecker cavities.

Attracting Nesting Hummingbirds Takes Patience

Part of the wonder of attracting nesting hummingbirds is letting natural processes unfold at their own pace. While you can provide ideal habitat conditions, breeding ultimately depends on nature’s schedule. Here are some final tips for success:

• Start early before nesting season begins to get plants established and habitat in prime shape well in advance.
• Expect the process to take time. It may take years for nesting pairs to discover and fully utilize your yard.
• Avoid moving or altering feeders, water or nesting areas once birds start nest-building activities.
• Focus on organic approaches for habitat and let nature take its course rather than trying to force outcomes.
• Keep cats indoors, use natural insect control, and eliminate pesticide use where hummingbirds are nesting.
• Be patient! Persist with enhancing your habitat year after year, and nesting hummingbirds will eventually appear.
• Appreciate your role in contributing to the overall health of hummingbird populations through small acts like gardening with native plants.

When you finally glimpse jewel-toned eggs in a nest or see newly hatched chicks being fed, you’ll know all your efforts have paid off! Providing for these aerial acrobats as they raise the next generation is incredibly rewarding. Follow the guidance in this article, and nesting hummingbirds will soon call your yard home.