Hummingbirds' acrobatic flight makes every day in your garden fun. Plant flowers they like or set out feeders to entice them. Many hummingbird feeders are red, but do they attract them?
Hummingbirds like red! “Hummingbirds have enhanced sensitivity to colors in the red to yellow spectrum,” says Audubon Florida communications director Erika Zambello.
Thus, red feeders attract birds (but the nectar should not be red). Hummingbirds like red, orange, pink, and yellow, so show them brilliant blooms in these colors.
Hummingbirds “have amazing memories,” adds Zambello. They usually return to the same place where they hatched, and once they find flowers or feeders, they may return year after year.
Make your property a haven for these tiny winged creatures and other pollinators. Plant annuals, perennials, and flowering shrubs with varying bloom times first. Hummingbirds like to sit on sticks and small branches on bushes and trees to observe your landscape, so leave them.
Must hummingbird nectar be red? No, nectar need not be red. Zambello argues pre-made, pre-dyed hummingbird nectar is damaging and unnecessary. Buy no hummingbird nectar.
See our Audubon-approved best hummingbird food recipe to create your own for a fraction of the cost. Clean and refill feeders every a week in cool weather or every few days in hot weather to prevent food spoilage.
Which flowers attract hummingbirds best? Tubular blooms like bee balm, trumpet honeysuckle, and hummingbird sage are favorite hummingbird food. Plant a variety of plants, including native species, for the most hummingbird food.