How do you attract hummingbirds without flowers?

Hummingbirds are beautiful, fascinating creatures that many homeowners wish to attract to their yards. While hummingbirds are strongly drawn to flowers, especially bright red tubular ones, it is possible to bring in these tiny birds without planting flowers. There are several effective methods to attract hummingbirds using feeders, water features, and landscaping strategies that appeal to hummingbirds without relying on blooms.

Why do hummingbirds visit flowers?

Hummingbirds rely heavily on flower nectar as their main food source. They have specially adapted long, slender beaks and tongues that allow them to reach deep inside flowers to extract the sugary nectar. Flowers provide hummingbirds with the high-energy carbohydrates they need to power their superfast metabolisms and wings that beat up to 70 times per second.

Brightly colored, tubular flowers like trumpet vines, fuchsias, and cardinal flowers provide ample nectar rewards. Their vivid red colors and special shapes are specially adapted to attract pollinators like hummingbirds. When hummingbirds visit these flowers, they get coated in pollen which they carry to the next flower, pollinating the plants in the process.

In addition to nectar, hummingbirds will visit flowers for another important food source: small insects and spiders. They opportunistically glean these protein-rich foods from the flowers as they feed on nectar. So flowers provide hummingbirds with their two primary dietary needs – carbohydrates from nectar and protein from insects.

Key strategies to attract hummingbirds without flowers

While flowers may be their top attractant, hummingbirds can be enticed to visit yards even in the absence of blooms by providing their other necessities:

• Nectar feeders – Artificial feeders can provide consistent, concentrated nectar from sweet sugar water mixtures.
• Running water – The sight and sound of moving water attracts hummingbirds to drink and bathe.
• Shelter – Trees, shrubs, and vines give hummingbirds places to perch, nest, and take cover.
• Plant diversity – A variety of plant types supplies habitats for hummingbird food insects.

By incorporating some or all of these elements into your landscape, you can create an enticing environment for hummingbirds even without heavily relying on flower nectar sources.

Nectar Feeders

Artificial nectar feeders, also called hummingbird feeders, are the simplest way to provide food for hummingbirds in the absence of flowers. They simulate nectar by supplying a concentrated sugar water mixture. Making your own nectar is easy – simply mix 1 part white sugar (either cane or plain granulated sugar) with 4 parts water. Boil the mixture to dissolve the sugar then let it cool before filling the feeder. No food coloring or other additives are necessary.

Here are some tips for using feeders successfully:

• Use feeders designed specifically for hummingbirds, not generic bird feeders.
• Select feeders that are easy to clean and refill.
• Clean feeders thoroughly at least once a week with hot water to prevent mold.
• Place feeders in open areas for easy access by hummingbirds.
• Position feeders so hummingbirds have perches nearby to rest.
• Fill feeders with fresh nectar mixture and replace it every few days, especially in hot weather.
• Provide ample feeders, ideally one for every 2-3 hummingbirds expected.

Properly maintaining clean, well-filled feeders is key. Hummingbirds will arrive readily to artificial nectar sources and become dependent on them for food once provided, so continuous availability is important.

Types of Hummingbird Feeders

There are several common styles of hummingbird feeders that all work well. The most popular types include:

• Saucer feeders – Open reservoirs with shallow nectar for multiple small feeding ports accessed around the rim.
• Tube feeders – Nectar stored in enclosed tubes with built-in feeding ports accessed by perching hummingbirds.
• Bottle feeders – Inverted glass bottles with feeding ports drilled in the base, using a vacuum to hold nectar.
• Funnel feeders – Nectar reservoirs with wide funnels accessing the nectar supply below.

The key features to look for are ease of filling, cleaning, and nectar visibility, along with number of feeding ports. Select a style that works for your setting and hummingbird population. Bottle and funnel feeders often hold more nectar, while saucer feeders allow for more hummers to feed simultaneously.

Running Water

Adding a running water feature is an excellent way to make your yard attractive for hummingbirds. The sight and sound of moving fresh water will draw them in to drink and bathe.

Options for adding water features include:

• Dripping or bubbling fountains
• Misting sprays
• Small waterfalls or cascades
• Man-made streams
• Garden ponds or pools with fountains or aerators

Aim for any water movement that provides freshness along with pleasant sights and sounds. Placing water features near vegetation like trees or shrubs provides perching areas where hummingbirds can comfortably and safely approach to drink and bathe.

Moving water may be even more critical in dry climates where a lack of natural water limits hummingbird populations. Supplying fresh running water can greatly increase and sustain hummingbirds in drought-prone regions.

Water Feature Positioning Tips

• Select partly shaded areas so water does not get too hot in summer sun.
• Avoid pooling water which can breed mosquitoes.
• Place larger water features like ponds away from feeders to separate drinking and bathing areas from primary feeding zones.
• Include perches such as rocks, sticks or low plant branches near water for hummingbird comfort and safety.
• Adjust flow rates and fountain heights to provide good visibility and audible trickling sounds.

With a quality running water installation, hummingbirds will flock to both drink and bathe even more frequently than to flower nectar sources.

Landscaping for Hummingbirds

In addition to food and water provisions, thoughtful landscaping can bolster hummingbird appeal. While flowers provide an obvious attraction, other landscape plants, structures and design elements can effectively draw hummingbirds in.

Shelter Plants

Providing trees, shrubs and vines for perching, roosting and nesting gives hummingbirds needed shelter. Some good options include:

• Trees – Willow, maple, oak, cypress, pine, hemlock
• Shrubs – Arborvitae, azalea, lilac
• Vines – Honeysuckle, trumpet vine, clematis

Aim for layered vegetation that supplies cover across different heights. Having protected perching areas near both feeders and water allows hummingbirds to comfortably rest and survey the area while feeding and drinking.

Diverse Plants for Insects

While not the main attraction, having a wide array of plants in your yard provides habitat for diverse insects that hummingbirds eat. Some options include:

• Native wildflowers
• Vegetable and herb gardens
• Fruit trees and berries
• Ornamental grasses
• Hedges and leafy greens

Plant varieties that flower and fruit at different times ensure a steady supply of small insects. Gardens with endemic, regional plants tailored to your climate and geography will harbor the highest diversity of invertebrates.

Landscape Design Tips

Here are some overall landscape design principles to maximize hummingbird appeal:

• Plant a variety of flowering and non-flowering plants to support hummingbird needs.
• Use layered vegetation with coverage at ground level, mid-level shrubs, and taller canopy trees.
• Include protected nesting areas via dense trees, shrubs and vines.
• Incorporate native plants suited for your climate and region.
• Provide spots for hummingbirds to perch and rest near food and water sources.
• Site feeders and water features where hummingbirds have unobstructed access and visibility.

With thoughtful landscape choices, you can design an ideal habitat that naturally attracts hummingbirds to take up residence.

When to expect hummingbirds

Timing your landscape and feeding efforts to hummingbird activity cycles will maximize success. Here is an overview of when to expect hummingbirds in different regions:

Timing your efforts to provide food, water and shelter ahead of arrival periods will get hummingbirds immediately interested. Maintaining these provisions through departure timing gives hummingbirds what they need throughout their active seasons.

Mimicking Flowers

While hummingbirds readily adapt to feeders as a nectar source, they exhibit an innate attraction to flowers specifically adapted to their needs. If you want to maximize the natural flower experience even without real blooms, here are some tactics:

Color

Use bold colors like red around feeders and water sources to catch the eye of hummingbirds. Paint these areas bright flower colors, or use colorful container plants nearby.

Shapes

Incorporate artificial tubular flowers, open funnels, and other shapes on or near feeders. Hummingbirds recognize these shapes as signifying nectar availability.

Groupings

Rather than a single feeder, place sets of multiple feeders together. Dense groupings of food sources appeal to hummingbirds’ natural flower feeding behaviors.

Movement

Add decorations with movement near feeders and water, like hanging pieces, mobiles, or fluttering ribbons. Motion mimics the movement of live flowers stirred by wind or pollinators.

By mimicking key aspects of real flowers, you can create a backyard setting that feels natural and familiar to attract hummingbirds even without blooms.

Conclusion

With thoughtful planning, you can welcome hummingbirds to your yard without planting any flowers. The keys are providing their essential needs – food from feeders, water from running water sources, and shelter via landscaping. Add flower mimicking visuals and motion for greater appeal. By supplementing their core requirements and tapping into their natural behaviors, you can enjoy the wonder of hummingbirds visiting your yard even without blooming gardens.