The Ruby-throated Hummingbird is eastern North America’s sole breeding hummingbird.  Feeders and flower gardens are great ways to attract these birds.

Around the middle of April, the first hummingbirds will arrive in Connecticut, the males will always arrive first followed by females a week or two later.  After their long voyage they are hungry and will be looking for food to regain their weight.  Hummingbirds will often return to the same location year after year.  Banding research has shown hummingbirds showing up in the same location and even on the same day from one year to the next.

Take the time to make sure before you put your feeders out that they are well cleaned.  Because hummingbirds are very territorial about their feeders it is a good idea to put out more than one around your yard.

A simple recipe for Hummingbird food is 1 cup of cane sugar mixed with 4 cups of hot/boiling water, remember to cool the water before filling your feeders.  It is important to remember that you only use cane sugar since other sugars are not safe for Hummingbirds.  Change the water before it grows cloudy or discolored and remember that during hot weather, sugar water ferments rapidly to produce toxic alcohol.

Brightly-colored flowers that are tubular hold the most nectar, and are particularly attractive to hummingbirds. These include perennials such as bee balms, columbines, daylilies, and lupines; biennials such as foxgloves and hollyhocks; and many annuals, including cleomes, impatiens, and petunias.

PLEASE KEEP IN MIND THAT BEARS ARE ATTRACTED TO THE SWEET MIXTURE IN HUMMINGBIRD FEEDERS.