We’re passionate about birds and nature. That’s why we opened a Wild Birds Unlimited Nature Shop in our community.
6654 Sawmill Rd
Columbus, OH 43235
Phone: (614) 766-2103
Fax: (614) 798-5271
Email: Send Message
Store Hours:
Mon - Fri: 10:00 am - 7:00 pm
Sat: 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Sun: 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
Spring is a much anticipated time for our smallest backyard-winged visitors. Hummingbirds may be the most anticipated bird to visit our yards. And why not? These littlest jewels of the backyard have some of the biggest personalities.
Hummingbirds are indeed small, weighing 1/10th of an ounce; about the weight of a penny. They also lay the world’s smallest bird egg; about the size of a blueberry.
For such a little bird, hummingbirds can be very feisty and aggressive when defending their territories; which includes nectar feeders. Multiple feeders, spread throughout your yard, will encourage more hummingbirds to visit and keep bullies at bay. The more feeders you offer and the more spread out they are, the more difficult it is for a protective hummingbird to defend all the feeders. Others, like females or even juveniles, will be able to eat more often, perhaps staying longer to feed or rest at feeders.
Speaking of feeders, these little birds have big appetites. Hummingbirds eat about every ten minutes and their diet is not made up entirely of nectar. They spend more than 25% of their time foraging for small spiders and insects to obtain essential amino acids and other nutrients.
Hummingbirds use their bill and not their tongue to catch prey while they forage near the ground and in trees. They love spiders and spider eggs and keep an eye out for small flying insects like midges, fruit flies and gnats. They also check leaves and branches for leaf hoppers, aphids and even the occasional small caterpillar.
Our little hummingbirds are deceptively big on speed. They often seem to explode away from a feeder like a dragster. They typically fly at 30-45 miles per hour (48-72 kph), but can fly up to 60 mph (96 kph). They can even hover and are the only birds able to regularly fly backwards and even occasionally upside down. They can do this because of an extremely mobile shoulder joint.
Be a seasonally savvy bird feeder by installing multiple hummingbird nectar feeders around your yard to draw in these little birds with the big personalities. Visit our store and we'll help you pick out everything you need to attract hummingbirds to your backyard.
These tiny birds use so much energy flying that they can eat double their weight in nectar and insects each day.
Despite popular belief, hummingbirds do not suck up nectar with their bills. They actually lap it up with their tongues. While dipping their grooved tongues into nectar sources at up to 12 times a second, the nectar is drawn up and into their mouth each and every time.
You can help them keep their energy level up and attract them to your yard by offering them a nectar solution. Mix four parts water and one part ordinary table sugar to create the perfect nectar solution. Example: (4 cups of water, 1 cup of sugar)
Change the nectar and wash your feeder in hot water every three to four days (more often in hot weather). If you have a WBU Hummingbird Feeder, simply place it in the top rack of your dishwasher for easy cleaning.
If you plan to store nectar in the refrigerator, boil the water first before creating and storing your nectar solution.
Never add red food coloring, honey or artificial sweeteners to the solution.
These birds are quite bold, too, so place your feeder close to the house so you can catch all the action!
Orioles are known to enjoy orange slices, grape jelly and mealworms offered from tray-style feeders. They will even use the protein-rich mealworms to feed their nestlings. Nectar feeders are also attractive to orioles, supplementing the natural nectar they typically find in flowers. Be patient and keep the foods fresh, replacing them every few days and be sure to keep your feeders clean, too.
