![]() ![]() If you don’t have many native flowers the next best thing is a simple bright red feeder. Having a garden filled with red, pink and orange flowers is all you need to attract hummingbirds that are local. Red dye is not needed nor is commercial nectar. ![]() A male Ruby-throated Hummingbird and a Zebra Longwing Butterfly share their love for the pink Penta flowers. A few quick steps can insure a healthy more natural way to help hummingbirds survive while giving you a wonderful opportunity to watch these aerial magicians up close without hurting them. Most people are unaware of the dangers lurking in their backyard. It’s estimated that several thousand hummingbirds die every year from health problems caused by dirty feeders, spoiled sugar water and toxic commercial nectar. One of the biggest threats to their survival comes from what most would think an unlikely problem the feeders people put out for them. This doesn’t give them a long breeding cycle so it’s imperative that every bird gets as much native organic nectar as possible. Their life span is about three years for a male and five years for a female. They live in almost constant motion which puts a big strain on their hearts. One was more what I called a nervous Nelly always looking around never relaxing. Others were willing to hang around making for an easy day for photography. Some were aggressive in guarding their territory chasing off intruders looking for a quick snack on the run. Every time they bring me a new understanding of the species while being able to identify different birds by their personality. I’ve been lucky to have one hummingbird come to winter in my pollinator garden every year for the past six years. These amazing birds can fly vertical as well as horizontal. They are one of nature’s tiny engineering miracles. There’s something magical about hummingbirds.
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