How to make your garden attractive to hummingbirds

There are few things more enjoyable in the garden than watching hummingbirds zip about, sampling nectar from feeders or various flowers, performing aerial ballet right before your very eyes.

These little balls of energy are more than simple backyard entertainment, however; they are vital to maintaining healthy ecosystems.

Hummingbirds and other pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, are referred to as “keystone species,” meaning these are species upon which other species depend.

When hummingbirds feed on flower nectar they brush their foreheads against the sides of those flowers, collecting pollen as they go. That pollen is transferred from flower to flower as the hummers feed.

On fruiting plants, this process eventually results in fruit eaten by other birds, bears, and even humans. As hummingbirds feed and pollinate they also support genetic diversity in the plants from which they extract nectar.

Nectar consumption is actually a small part of the hummingbird’s diet. Insects, including garden pests, are another critical food source for them. Essential vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, fiber, etc., all come from insects they consume — not the nectar.

Their preferred insects include small beetles, true bugs, weevils, flies, gnats, mosquitoes, aphids, mites, leafhoppers, winged ants, parasitic wasps, and their favorite — spiders.

To encourage these winged work horses to visit your garden, make it a safe and inviting place. Hummingbirds have evolved with our native plants, so it makes sense to include them in your landscape to encourage repeat hummingbird visitors.

While hummers are especially attracted to red flowers, they will feed from blossoms in a range of colors. What they really prefer are blooms with a tubular shape perfect for their long bills. Shallow pools of water are also enticing.

So you see, hummingbirds are not just for your viewing pleasure. They are essential to your entire gardening experience!

To learn more about hummingbirds and other pollinators, and the role they play in our environment, visit: https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8498.pdf. For a list of California native plants that attract hummingbirds, go to http://ucanr.edu/sites/scmg/files/29790.pdf.

This story was originally published January 26, 2016 at 5:59 PM with the headline "How to make your garden attractive to hummingbirds."