Now that you have the flora (plants) in your garden, you may not be seeing the fauna (wildlife) that you're expecting. If it is hummingbirds you wish to attract, we have some information that will guarantee their presence year after year.

A Closer Look at Our Feathered Friends.
If you were hoping to attract and sustain an array of hummingbirds in your garden with only a hummingbird feeder but have been disappointed, this may help you understand why.

Feeders provide the hummingbirds with a nectar-like substance (i.e. sugar and water), but this is not enough. The nectars that are provided by nectar-rich flowers (such as Honeysuckle and Salvia) contain proteins that are not available in the manufactured nectars provided via the feeders. The lack of these proteins and nutrients can be harmful to the hummingbirds' immune systems and may prove deadly for them over time.

In order to sustain the yearly return of hummingbirds to your garden and ensure they are healthy keep a few tips in mind:

1. Hummingbirds love tubular flowers.
2. The colors that attract them most are of blue, pink, orange and red varieties.
3. Their diets do consist of water and sugar nectar, but it is also important for them to have access to blooming flowers high in natural nectar.

They're Seeing Red!
You may have noticed in the past that hummingbirds have a penchant for red tubular flowers. This isn't because they only see red or they prefer red to other colors, but because red flowers generally deter bees. Without competition from the local bee chapter, the nectar is more plentiful making for very happy hummers.