Jul 29, 2020 | Featured in: Watching Backyard Birds, August 2019

How Do I Attract More Hummingbirds?

Want to attract more hummingbirds to you yard? In addition to offering more feeders, provide more natural food sources by planting nectar-producing flowers, shrubs, and trees.
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Dear Birdsquatch:

A couple of friends of mine have dozens of hummingbirds at their nectar feeders. I'm so jealous! I've hung a nectar feeder on my front porch and back deck every summer for years, but never manage to attract more than three hummingbirds, and then, only occasionally. What can I do to attract more hummingbirds? I promise to keep my feeders clean and the nectar fresh!

—Lee C.,
Green Valley, Arizona

Dear Lee,

Your best bet at attracting more hummingbirds is to provide more food sources. Provide more feeders, but even more important, provide more natural food sources by planting nectar-producing flowers, shrubs, and trees. Compare the broader habitat of your friends' property to your own. I bet there are more natural food sources where your friends live than in your neighborhood. If you live in the middle of a huge subdivision, you'll probably have to ask all your neighbors to plant nectar-producing plants if you want to see a huge influx of hummingbirds. Good luck with that!

Now, if you want to attract more squatches, bake more blueberry pies and leave your windows open!

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About Birdsquatch

Birdsquatch is WBB's tall, hairy, and slightly stinky columnist. He is a bigfoot who has watched birds all his life. His home range is unknown.

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