Deborah, thanks for the link. Leeperk,, isn't that the one you have growing wild down by the mailbox? has little red seeds. Yes,, just checked picture and it is definitely the same.
Elaine
This message was edited Dec 15, 2007 11:07 PM
Best Hummingbird Nectar Plants for Southern Gardens
I've just been reading catch-up on this thread and started laughing at the antics of Danita's hummer with the bloom stuck on his beak. Bet that was a sight to smile at!
Lee, we get them year round here. It's a very busy time for us actually, more hummers now than ever, gotta keep the feeders filled! Last year was terrible.......with the big freeze we had, a lot of the normally winter flowering plants froze. I was very busy!
Over the last year I've been trying to put in more hummingbird (and butterfly!) plants, most of these have been mentioned already
red trumpet honeysuckle
canna
pineapple salvia
turk's cap
cape honeysuckle
dicliptera
orange jubilee
hesperaloe
aloe
penstemon
mexican honeysuckle
lobelia laxiflora
firecracker bush
firespike
duranta
mexican flame vine
hibiscus
bat face cuphea
gaura
I'm sure I missed a couple but the ones I notice them at the most are the red trumpet honeysuckle, the cape honeysuckle, and canna- they love these plants. A lot of my plants are still small or out front so I may not be noticing them on the other plants as much because of that.
Some of these are not very hardy but they handle the AZ heat just dandy, a plus in any southerners book :)
EFGeorgia, yep that is the one growing wild down by the mailbox. Also out back on the riverbank. Isn't it nice they are just wild here. Do you have everything in the hot hse? I have mine covered now but doesn't look as though we are going to need it this year. Maybe in Jan.
Yes,, most everything is in greenhouse, including those coral bean plants.. We had almost 4 inches of rain Sat. just wonderful... and now it is COLD.. I am going to grow more herbs next year. Have been reading that many of them attract bees, hummers, and butterflies.
Elaine
I've done very well this year with
Salvia Black&Blue
Salvia Hot Lips
Purple Mexican Salvia
Red Pineapple Salvia
purple Mexican Petunias (regular tall ones and the much less invasive "purple rain")
Lantana (butterflies mostly)
Buddlia (butterflies mostly)
Porterweed
Pentas
Red shrimp plant
Crocosmia/Montbretia
Red Lobelia (found a new dwarf one- AWESOME!)
Lady Margaret passion vine brings in tons of butterflies and some hummers
Cypress vine
Black eyed susan vine- the one with peach/mango colored blooms. They hit it right before dusk
Iochroma cyaneum Indigo - It went into its full glory as the weather cooled some, groups of little blue trumpets hanging down. The hummers loved it!
Also, the very favorite of hummingbirds here in high summer is firespike. They will completely ignore a feeder for that.
What is firespike? Got a picture of it?
Y'all ROCK with all the great plant suggestions!!! THANKS SO MUCH!!!
I have a question ...
It seems my little hummer (which I still believe to be a single rubythroat) must be hanging around my yard somewhere. I have no idea where it's perching to get an eye view of my backyard. But I have heard they will find a favorite perch spot. Is that true? I have tried to follow it with my eyes to see where it is going, but it moves so fast I can never follow where it is landing to perch. We have a lot of Brazilian Pepper Trees along the outside of my back fence that are growing wild in the vacant lot behind us. Anyone have any suggestions of where I should look for it's perching spot? I thought about getting my binoculars out and trying to find it, but I wouldn't know where to begin to look. Do they like to perch real high up or lower?
It definitely likes my feeders as well as all the blooming flowers in my yard. I have 3 feeders hanging on a 4-way shepard's hook in the corner of my garden bed next to many of the nectar plants. I made a stronger sugar nectar and it seems to be using the feeders a lot more. I noticed within 15 minutes after changing out my feeders, it shows up to investigate and to eat. So ... I thought I would try something ... I go out several times a day and switch the feeders around on the hooks. Sure enough within 10-15 minutes here comes the hummer to check it out and to sip the nectar from the different feeders. It's so funny! Has anyone done that? They are such curious little birdies. LOL!
This message was edited Dec 22, 2007 9:46 AM
Deborah - Here is what Firespike looks like. I have 2 bushes in my yard and it seems to bloom year round here.
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1854/
firespike, http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/1854/
That is too funny Becky! They do keep an eye on things. I think yours will be easier to find once you have more....ours will perch right near the feeder and you can hear them chirping to let everyone know they're there and to stay away (doesn't stop the others from trying lol). They're generally very visible in our yard, they tend to pick a branch or whatever that is out in the open, gives them a good vantage point for guard duty. Since you only have the one, yours may be actually hanging out farther away.
Thanks azreno!
So someone explain to me hummer behavior. Do they nectar most of the day, or perch, fly around, or what?
Wow, thanks Azreno snd Becky for the firespike link. The bloom looks very much like the coral bean. My male hummers perch in all the trees around my back yard in an eye view of their feeders.
firespike is Odontonema strictum, a fantastic plant for subtropical or tropical gardens.
Hummingbirds tend to perch high rather than low. Typically mine have favorite branches to guard their feeders from but I have also seen them choose the tip-top of bamboo.
I have also noticed that although they will hover while drinking from plants, they definitely prefer feeders with a place to perch while feeding.
If you want to be COMPLETELY amazed by hummingbirds check out David Attenburough's DVD "The Life of Birds"
I thought that hummingbirds had to be in warm climates but there are some who actually slow their little hearts down to nearly dead every night to survive winter in some of the harshest mountain snows I could imagine. Amazing!
Very interesting about the birds' hearts slowing down. I think that must be what all birds do.. This wren was here last year in the same spot. And all my flashing Christmas lights don't even bother him/her..My hummers sit up high and watch the feeder they like.
A few things popped into mind while reading this, I have read it is not recommended to make a stronger strength sugar water as to sweet can cause beak rot. I use 1/4 cup sugar to 1 cup water and reduce that a bit during summer when all is in bloom. Any thoughts?
I also have better luck not bunching the feeders up close together. I keep six feeders out. If they are too close together, they are zealously guarded by one agressive hummer. When spread out, other birds can eat too...
I have found a hummingbird laying on the ground on a cool morning. I thought he had hit a window. I picked him up and held him for a minute and after he got warmed up, he flew away. I believe that was the "stupor" they go into... Prior to DCs so no photos though.
Although this isn't a hummer, but this (unknown) bird was hanging out on a dogwood, where a Tomatoe-head woodpecker was feeding on the dogwood, and it was fun to watch the woodpecker trying to chase other birds off the tree branches. It appeared that these birds were hunting for the berries on the tree. While the Woodpecker was searching for bugs?
Hi podster! Thanks for the feedback about the sugar water for hummers. I had read on other websites about increasing the sugar content in the water. I guess it helps them build up fat reserves for long flights when migrating. Before I added more sugar to the feeder, the hummer never used my feeders. Now it uses the feeders and all the flowers in my yard.
Here is a video on YouTube that I took of my hummer. The quality of the video uploaded to YouTube is not as good as the original video, but you can see my lone hummer sipping from the blooms and then going to the feeder. At the feeder, I slowed the video down to half-speed as you can tell. This hummer is very fast and I can barely get video of it. No photos yet.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiFtNPb8Iw8
I don't know if this hummer is a Rubythroat or a Rufous? Can anyone tell? I can not get a photo of it up close.
This message was edited Dec 23, 2007 12:13 PM
For those of us in Florida, I found this note on a hummingbird watch site:
To many, the Ruby-throated Hummingbird is the only hummingbird in Florida. In actuality there have been 9 species documented in the state:
Buff-bellied Hummingbird
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Anna's Hummingbird
Bahama Woodstar
Calliope Hummingbird
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Allen's Hummingbird
At least three other species have been reported in the state but were not adequately documented to be accepted by the State Records Committee: Cuban Emerald, Broad-billed Hummingbird, and Magnificient Hummingbird. Other species including Green Violet-ear (Alabama, North Carolina), Blue-throated Hummingbird (Alabama), White-eared Hummingbird (Mississippi) and Green-breasted Mango (North Carolina) may soon occur in Florida. These and other species may have already occurred in the state and gone unnoticed due to a shortage of observers and/or a lack of knowledge in identification.
So now I need a good website for IDing purposes. My hummer has a lot of white on it's underside and neck.
Becky, that is a beautiful video on your hummer at the feeder! Well done.
Oh,,, he/she is sooo cute. Good video. I know it will be back with all you have planted.
Elaine
Great Video, Becky. I'm so proud you've finally got your long awaited wish to have a hummer in your backyard. You've certainly made a haven for him and it was worth the wait.
Oh Becky that is just to cute. I love it.
Linda
Becky, is that firespike is full sun? I just watched your video and I am so happy for you! I have 2 firespike bushes, and planned on putting 1 in a sunnier location and another in a more shady sheltered spot. Any suggestions?
Cathy
Cathy, I have my firespike in a spot where it gets all the morning sun in winter but filtered sun in summer, it would never handle our full sun in summer. Probably different in Fl.
Nice video Becky! I wish someone knew which one you have.
OOOOOOOOHHHHH!! I am so mad! I wrote a whole post and it blinked and disappeared! Grrr..
Thanks to everyone for the compliments. Here is another video I made this morning that is a closer up view of the hummer. I may try an even closer one later this week! I am so enjoying my new garden visitor!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvdL3FETqs4
My Firespike is in partial shade. Morning sun, afternoon shade. I have another one in more sun and it's NOT nearly as big.
The blooms on the one in the video are deformed. Plant expert told me it was a plant virus that is causing the blooms to have some weird growth on them. It won't hurt the plant, but sure looks odd. And the hummer still nectars from it. :-)
Since I added a little more sugar to the hummer mix, I noticed the hummer goes to the feeders first now and the blooms second. I think when I was making the mix, too much sugar evaporated so the extra sugar is more to the hummers liking! :-)
This message was edited Dec 24, 2007 10:22 AM
Becky;,,
It looks like a young male rubythroat.. It will probably more than likely spend the rest of the winter there.... Glad to see all your hard work has finely paid off.... Enjoyed the videos.... Thanks..
Merry Christmas;,,
....Dave
He must think he's in heaven with all that yummy food and nobody else around. How funny!
jo
lol no kidding! What a lucky hummer he is.
I think I recognize him as the greedy young 'un who hung around our feeders late in September - long after everyone else had left. Tell him "hi" from his friends in Dallas, GA.
jo
Dave, Jo, and others - How do you tell the females and young males apart? I managed to get another video of this hummer and each time I am able to get a closer look. Here is the newest video as I try to observe and capture this hummer on video. I always do a slow motion clip at the end of the video which allows me to view the coloring and flight behavior of this bird. Very cool actually!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zAPt5ZadUk
When I set up the camera outside on a tripod, I move the feeders around and within 5-10 minutes the hummer shows up to check things out. Do you think it IS living in my yard or nearby or just visiting at the same time each day? I have been video-taping at about 8:30 am every morning, but I do observe it coming back throughout the day. I see it at the feeders more and more. (Though it still goes to the blooms too! It seems to be all over my yard.) I still don't know where it is perching. But it's gotta be somewhere it is able to see the feeders.
I guess most of you get numerous hummers. I would love to get more than one to see how they interact with one another. I truly believe this is a lone hummer and the only one I am getting at this time. It's behavior and the way it looks makes me think this is one and the same bird visiting every time.
Interesting that it is still here. Perhaps it lives here year round? I know hummers are seen in the spring and summer months here, too. Maybe I am "hoping" it is a resident year round. LOL!
Hi Becky, That video is Outstanding!
That is a female in this video. The mature males have the ruby throat and the
immature males have dark spots on their throats till they mature and the ruby feathers start coming through.
The females have an all white throat.
Again great video!
Pelle :-)
Becky, what special video! Soon, that little female will be waving to you each time you attend the feeders. It's amazing how fast those little wings go, even with the slo-mo, all you can see is the blur as she's hovering, COOL!
Thanks for sharing!
One question- do hummingbirds show a preference for different style feeders? I admired a gorgeous red/orange glass feeder in a gift shop that my sneaky, wonderful DS surprised me with for Christmas. She's so tricky! Most of the feeders I see are the red plastic flower type, so I'm wondering if I should get one or more of those too or instead of the glass, maybe it's better for decoration? I'll have to dig it out and photo it.
Thanks, Cathy
Becky, you just wait, you'll be able to walk out and she'll fly right up in your face and wait while you tend the feeders. They can get so comfortable and close it's a bit scary sometimes........wouldn't want that beak in the eye!
Melody sent me a red tie-dye shirt a month ago and told me to wear it when I am out in the yard. She said that the hummer may come investigate the red shirt and me eventually.
I was sitting out on the screen porch talking on the phone and was looking at the big Oak tree in my backyard. I can see the top of the tree from where I was sitting. I saw the hummer up there and it was chasing all the bigger birds away. So funny! They are fearless little birdies! So now I know where she is perching at times. She flies away to somewhere else too. Don't know where or if it is even near my yard, but it looks like the Oak tree is part of her territory. :-)
I am excited that it is a female! (Thank you Pell for IDing her gender and breed!) That means if she is a resident bird, that a male may come find her and she could have a nest in my yard or close by her food source. So ... that may mean more hummers! :-) :-) :-) :-)
Here is the link to the video I took this morning. It was so funny! I am trying to get closer and closer when I record her. When I was watching her during the recording from the porch, I noticed she wouldn't drink from the closest feeder to the camera. I couldn't figure out why. When I played back the video, I saw why ... there was a frog sitting in the ant moat looking at her. She didn't know what to think of that frog! LOL! Probably scared of it and felt it might be a predator. Of course the frog is a small one and most likely couldn't harm her, but she is smart to be cautious around odd creatures sitting in her feeder! LOL!
New video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyKrsl_AKDU
Cathy - Thanks for the feedback on the video on YouTube! :-)
My hummer is using all my feeders, but I have noticed that the long glass feeder is very hard to clean. The neck is very narrow and I can't get a baby bottle brush through it to clean it. I am using vinegar and warm water, but I can see the build up of junk on the inside of the glass. I will probably have to bleach it and wash it a few times before long. She used to go to that one the most, but now she uses the other two more. I think it is because the sugar water doesn't spoil as fast as the glass one. The saucer type feeders are Humzinger feeders and very easy to clean. They also have a built in ant moat in the center. I really like them better and I am so glad the little hummer does now too! :-) Here is the website for Humzinger feeders which is where I got both of mine from:
http://www.hummzinger.biz/humzinger.htm
The prices have gone up since I bought mine 2 years ago. But they are good feeders and I really feel like I got my money's worth with them now that I have a hummingbird! :-)
Eating leftovers and watching your hummingbird video, Becky, it doesn't get much better. She is so darn cute!
Thanks for the info on the feeders. I am off to check hummzinger.biz
Cathy
Is it the HumZinger Ultra you have in your videos? And do you have a rain guard? I like the lifetime guarantee on these feeders.
Sorry so many questions, I want to lure some hummers here too!
Cathy - No rain guard. I don't think we get enough rain here to really need one, but I could be wrong. I have the mini humzinger and the excel. Though I don't think either of mine are unbreakable. I think the excel is a newer feeder than both of mine. Mine both have a perch and when I try to remove the top, I have to be very careful not to break the perch as it is very flimsy. The excel seems like a good choice to me.
Also, it wasn't the feeders that attracted the birds to me, it was all the red and orange nectar plants I have in my yard. I have been trying to get a hummer for over 2 years! I put the feeders out once I saw the hummer nectaring on my Shrimp plant, Porterweed, and Firespike blooms. So plant nectar plants in clumps so the hummers can see the red blooms from the air as they are flying overhead. And then wait. My plants are more mature and bigger now too. Just more suggestions.
Where is South Venice? I am on the south-central east coast about 10 miles west of the ocean.
Thanks for the suggestions, I'm going to order this afternoon. I have firespike, in 2 spots, and various other hummingbird attractors. I had a hummer about 10 years ago, saw it on Mexican Sage (got that in the front too!) a couple of times, then zoom off across the street to the neighbor's Silk Oak tree. I only saw it a couple of days in a row, then I have not seen any since. Now I am on a mission. Tore out all the ucky landscape in the front a couple months ago, where I'm now putting a bf and hb garden. There are two 30 ft Laurel Oaks, so there's already a couple of nice protected spots.
Venice is about 1 hour and 15 minutes south of Tampa, about 20 minutes south of Sarasota, right on the coast. I'm about 2 miles inland from the coast.
I planted about a dozen different seeds that I got in your fabulous seed swap a couple weeks ago, and your Yellow 4 oclocks sprouted today!
OK I'm rambling now, back to work in the garden, got to take advantage of some off-work time!
Cathy - YOU are in the perfect spot to get hummers! They head south along the Florida west coast to fly to South America across the Gulf! Lucky you! Good luck! I know you will get some once you add more nectar plants and feeders to your yard! :-)