How Do You Get Plants To Attract Hummingbirds?

Hummingbirds are among the smallest birds in the world and are the only kind that can hover in place. Although small, they are tough, resilient and show no fear. Hummingbirds are also territorial and will defend their space aggressively. These behaviors make them both interesting and entertaining to watch. For these reasons, it is often satisfying to set up an area where they can be observed and enjoyed. Select the plants. Hummingbirds do not use their sense of smell to find food. They use the color of the blossoms as a guide. Red, red-orange, orange, yellow, pink and purple are most attractive. As the birds become more familiar with the area, they will select flowers of other colors as well. Shape is also important. Flowers with a long tubular or trumpet shape receive the greatest number of visits. These blooms tend to hang forward and away from the rest of the plant. This makes it easy for hummingbirds to hover and extract the nectar that most other birds can't reach. Provide a ...  more