Invite Hummingbirds to Your Yard

Our friends at Stokes share seven great tips for how you can welcome Hummingbirds to your garden with the right feeders and plantings.

1. Put up Stokes Select® hummingbird feeders just before hummingbirds are expected to arrive in your area. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds arrive in late February to mid-March in southern areas, late-March to early April in the middle of the U.S., and mid-April to mid-May in the North. In the West, Allen’s Hummingbird may arrive on its breeding grounds as early as January. A few species, such as Anna’s Hummingbird (of the West) and Buff-belliedHummingbird (of South Texas), can be found all year.

2. Place feeders in a sheltered area near flowers that are attractive to hummingbirds, such as red tubular flowers. Feeders can be hung or mounted on a hook such as the Stokes Select 42” Hummingbird Hook.

3. Fill feeders with fresh hummingbird nectar solution. Store extra in the refrigerator.

4. It is highly important to clean hummingbird feeders and fill with fresh nectar.

5. Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are very entertaining and can be competitive around feeders. To reduce hummingbird competition space your feeders out.

6. Most hummingbirds migrate out of the U.S. in the winter. Leave up hummingbird feeders until after the first frost or until migrants are no longer seen in your area. Leaving up feeders will not deter hummingbirds from migrating, they know instinctively when to leave.

7. To encourage hummingbirds to stay in your area create good hummingbird habitat with a variety of trees, areas of sun and shade and lots of flowers that hummingbirds favor. Hummingbirds visit flowers of different colors but they especially like red tubular flowers such as, impatiens, salvia, bee balm, penstemon, columbine, and trumpet vine.