Birmingham Audubon Society

Hummingbird Nectar

Ruby-throated hummingbirds begin their trek back to South America in August. Hummingbird feeder food can easily be made by mixing one (1) part sugar with four (4) parts water (by volume). Don't use red coloring in the water! If you want to attract hummingbirds, you can hang red ribbons near the feeder, or use any kind of red objects. Be sure to change the liquid in the feeders every few days, especially during hot weather. A cloudy liquid mix in any case signals the need to change the sugar mixture. Clean the feeder with a brush and warm water before refilling.

Martha's Marvelous Suet for Birds

Submitted to Flicker Flashes November, 1998 by Tom Clark
I performed an experiment to see if birds prefer Martha Sargent's suet recipe or a popular "store-bought" brand, by placing each in identical feeders within a foot of the other and rotating them periodically. No contest. Birds of all species literally ignored the store-bought brand whenever Martha's was available. Here is her recipe which is cheap and very easy to make.

* 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
* 2 cups quick cook oats
* 2 cups cornmeal
* 1 cup lard
* 1 cup white flour
* 1/3 cup sugar

Melt the lard and peanut butter over low heat. Stir in the remaining ingredients and pour into square freezer containers about 1½ " thick to fit your suet basket. Store in freezer or refrigerator. Makes about 8 cakes. This suet will not melt or run in the summer, and is a great source of protein for young birds as well as their parents.

A Penny for Your Birdbath

To ward off algae growth in your birdbath, toss in a few pre-1982 pennies; the high copper content retards growth.

Native Hummingbird Plants

Article from Strawberry Plains Audubon Center

Native plant gardening is becoming critically important to the survival of wildlife, particularly birds. Native plants attract many birds and the insects that birds eat. These plants are adapted to life in this area so they do not need dangerous fertilizers or pesticides to thrive. Using native plants in your garden or around your home creates a safe haven for birds - This landscape is becoming increasingly rare. Unfortunately, using exotic plant species or chemical insect and weed killers will drive away many of the birds that may otherwise use our outdoor areas to eat, mate and reproduce.

In his new book, Bringing Nature Home, Douglas W. Tallamy discusses the relationships between birds, insects, plants and people. Many of our natural areas are being converted into communities for people. Tallamy urges home gardeners to take an active role in providing the food and habitat that birds need to survive. He believes that "gardeners have become important players in the management of our nation's wildlife." His research reveals that our native insects are not feeding on the many exotic plant species that we usually find at our local nurseries. Insects are a primary source of food for birds. In fact, Tallamy states that "if you count all of the terrestrial bird species in North America that rely on insects ... to feed their young, you would find that figure to be about 96% -- In other words, nearly all of them." Hummingbirds are no different - Most of their diet is made up of small arthropods, such as fruit flies, gnats, spiders, caterpillars and insect eggs.

Plant List

Aesculus pavia - Red Buckeye

• Full sun to shade
• Almost any soil, except wet soil
• 15 - 25 feet high (slow grower)
• Foliage appears early spring and falls in late summer (When the foliage first blooms, hummingbirds are not far behind!)
• Blooms bright, red flowers on terminal panicles in early spring
• Very beautiful!

Bignonia capreolata - Cross Vine

• Full sun to shade
• Tolerates many soil conditions, including wet
• Evergreen foliage (Foliage turns burgundy in winter)
• Clings or twines to surface
• Blooms in early spring
• Trumpet bloom, red to yellow or any shade in between

Aquilegia canadensis - Wild Columbine

• Part to full shade
• Well drained soil
• 2-3 feet tall
• Blooms early to late spring
• Nodding, cone-like, flowers with yellow sepals and red spurs
• Re-seeds readily

Silene virginica - Fire Pink

• Part sun to full shade
• Well drained soil
• Basal foliage with flower stalk around 12"-20" tall
• Mild spring blooms with red flowers

Spigelia marilandica - Indian Pink

• Part to full shade
• Moist, well drained soil
• 2 feet tall, forms attractive clump
• Blooms late spring to early summer
• Flowers are 1-2 inches long, red trumpets with yellow mouths

Heuchera sanguinea - Coral Bells

• Part to full shade
• Moist, well drained soil
• Clump basal foliage (12 -20 inches tall and 12-24 inches wide)
• Flowers are small red bell shaped in cymose panicles on stems, 12 - 20 inches long
• Blooms late spring to early summer

Monarda didyma - Bee Balm, Red Bergamot

• Moist soil
• Full to part sun
• 2-4 feet tall, spreads by rhizomes (creeping underground stems - often spreads rapidly)
• Blooms late spring to mid-summer
• Flower is red, 2-4 inch cluster

Monarda fistulosa - Wild Bergamot

• Full sun
• Moist to dry soil
• 2-4 feet tall, spreads by rhizomes
• Blooms late spring to mid-summer
• Pink, white or purple flowers on 2-4 inch heads

Lonicera sempervirens - Coral Honeysuckle

• Please do not confuse this with Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica). The Japanese Honeysuckle is an exotic invasive and wreck havoc on gardens and forests.
• Sun to part shade
• Many soil conditions
• Twining up to 15 feet
• Main bloom is mid to late spring and then intermittent blooms until frost
• Blooms are 2 inch clusters of narrow, scarlet trumpets with orange tips

Campsis radicans - Trumpet Vine

• Tolerant of many soil conditions
• Part to full sun
• 30-40 feet high, clinging vine
• Blooms early summer through fall
• Flower 2 ½ - 3 inches long and trumpet shaped
• Colors range from orange to red

Impatiens capensis - Spotted Jewelweed

• Moist soil
• Part to full shade
• 2- 2 ½ feet tall and 2-3 feet wide
• Blooms mid-summer to fall
• Orange flower spotted with reddish brown
• Re-seeds readily
• Note: Impatiens pallida is another choice. It has lemon yellow flowers

Lobelia cardinalis - Cardinal Flower

• Moist to wet soil
• Part to full shade (can take more sun if soil is wet)
• 2-5 feet tall
• Blooms late summer to fall
• Flower is red, 1-2 inches long on 8 inch spikes
• Note: Lobelia siphilitica is another choice. It has blue flowers.

More Hummingbird Plants

Salvia coccinea - Tropical sage
Salvia guaranticia - Blue sage
Salvia greggii - Autumn sage
Salvia elegans - Pineapple sage
Salvia farinacene - Mealy sage
Salvia leucantha - Mexican bush sage
Hamelia patens - Firebush
Malvaviscus arboreus - Turks Cap
Erythrina gerbacia - Coral Bean
Justicia brandegeana - Shrimp plant

** These plants are more southerly in range but will winter over in mild winters.