About Ruby-throated Hummingbirds
Anyone who has ever seen one of these cute 3-inch birds hover nearby has probably not forgotten the experience. The ruby-throated hummingbird is native to this part of the Midwest. They winter in Central America, Mexico and the Caribbean and fly north in the spring, passing through our area in late April to early May. Males sometimes start back south as soon as July; females follow somewhat later and the juveniles later still, up to the first frost. Hummers tend to return to the same places to feed during their long migrations. They find suitable places to linger by sight, which is why bright red flowers as well as feeders help attract them. (Photograph by Robert Lubeck/Animals Animals—Earth Scenes)
How The Project Began
We, Muriel and Adrian, have been gardening as neighbors for over twenty years and had never seen hummingbirds in our back yards. In 2008 Muriel decided to see if she could attract them. She put out two feeders, and amazingly, a pair showed up during the fall migration period, staying around for several weeks before continuing south. We decided it was in part the feeders, but also because we have many hummingbird attracting flowers in our yards and don’t use insecticides.
In 2009 we started this project and several neighbors joined, also putting up feeders and planting appropriate flowers. The hummers returned that fall. In 2010 we enlisted even more neighbors and to help make our block a real haven for these beautiful birds. Who knows how many hummingbirds might decide to stop by on their way north or south, or even stick around to build nests and raise young? 2015 update: we've been seeing hummers since early spring and all summer long.
How to Attract Hummingbirds:
- When planting shrubs, vines, perennials or annuals, choose at least a few hummingbird-attracting kinds, such as those on the list below. (Hummers especially like tubular red native flowers.)
- Put out a hummingbird feeder and keep it filled with sugar water (this requires a certain degree of commitment, since it must be cleaned and refilled weekly).
- Don't use insecticides in your yard. Besides pests, they can also be toxic to people, bees, butterflies, and birds. Flowers and feeders attract hummers because, as one source put it, “hummers need nectar to power the bug eating machines that they are.” Most of their diet is soft-bodied insects and spiders. Having hummers around helps improve the balance of nature.
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Native Vines
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Campsis radicans
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Trumpet Vine
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Sun
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Clematis virginiana
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Virgin’s Bower
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Sun to shade
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Lonicera sempivirens
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Honeysuckle
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Sun
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Lonicera x brownii
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Honeysuckle
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Sun
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Native Shrubs
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Ceanothus americanus
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New Jersey Tea
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Sun to part shade
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Cephalanthus occidentalis
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Buttonbush
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Sun to part shade
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Native Understory Tree
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Aesculus Pavia
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Red Buckeye
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Part shade
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Native Perennials
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Agastache foeniculum
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Blue giant Hyssop
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Sun to part shade
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Agastache rupestris
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Licorice Mint
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Sun to part shade
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Aquilegia canadensis
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Columbine
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Sun to medium shade
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Asclepias incarnata
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Marsh Milkweed
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Sun
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Asclepias syriaca
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Common Milkweed
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Sun
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Asclepias tuberosa
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Butterfly Weed
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Sun
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Geranium maculatum
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Wild Geranium
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Part sun to shade
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Glandularia canadensis
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Rose Vervain
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Sun to part shade
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Liatris aspera
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Rough Blazing Star
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Sun
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Liatris mucronata
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Narrow-leaf Gayfeather
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Sun
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Liatris pycnostachya
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Prairie Blazing Star
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Sun
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Liatris scariosa
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Scaly Blazing Star
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Sun
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Lilium michiganense
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Michigan Lily
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Sun to part shade
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Lobelia cardinalis
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Cardinal Flower
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Sun to part shade
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Lupinus perennis
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Perennial Lupine
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Sun
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Monarda braburiana
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Eastern Beebalm
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Sun to part shade
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Monarda didyma
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Scarlet Beebalm
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Sun to part shade
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Monarda fistulosa
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Wild Bergamot
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Sun to part shade
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Penstemon cobaea var. purpureus
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Showy Beardtongue
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Sun to part shade
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Penstemon digitalis
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Foxglove
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Sun to part shade
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Penstemon pallidus
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Pale beardtongue
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Sun to part shade
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Penstemon tubaeflorus
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Tubed Beardtongue
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Sun to part shade
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Phlox divaricata,
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Woodland Phlox
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Sun to shade
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Phlox paniculata
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Garden Phlox
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Sun to part shade
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Physostegia virginiana
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Obedient Plant
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Sun to part shade
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Salvia azurea
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Pitcher Sage
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Sun
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Silene regia
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Royal Catchfly
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Sun
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Silene virginica
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Fire Pink
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Part shade
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Silphium perfoliatum
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Cup Plant
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Sun
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Spigelia marilandica
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Indian Pink
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Part shade
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Native Annuals
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Canna indica
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Native Canna
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Sun
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Castilleja coccinea
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Scarlet Indian Paintbrush
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Sun
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Castilleja indivisa
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Texas Indian Paintbrush
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Sun
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Phaseolus coccineu
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Scarlet Runner Bean
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Sun
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Monarda citriodora
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Lemon Horsemint
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Sun
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Nicotiana mutabilis
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Flowering Tobacco
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Sun
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Phlox drummondii
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Annual Phlox
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Sun
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Salvia sp.
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Annual Sages
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Sun
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Non-native Perennials
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Hosta
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Lavandula
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Lavendar
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Sun
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Liliam sp.
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Lilies
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Sun
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Non-native Annuals
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Any tubular red-to-purple flowers such as petunias, impatiens, salvias, fuschia, four o’clocks, geraniums
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