A couple of days ago, I watched a show about hummingbirds. I just caught the tail end of the presentation but learned a few facts, new to me. Did you know that they return to the same yards each year? They are a powerhouse of energy and before their migration, they put on an extra 2 grams of weight so that they will have enough body fat to fly non-stop over the Gulf of Mexico. Their other migration pattern ranges from Canada to the eastern U.S.

Depending on the area where you live, you are likely to see any number of types of hummingbirds. In New Hampshire, we see only Ruby-throated Hummingbirds. In Peru, there is a rare type of hummingbird that is in danger of extinction because of deforestation to create farmland. The male of the species that two long feathers, consisting of a spine and a plumage at the end. These attract females during showy courtship displays. The colors of hummingbird feathers themselves are not really “colors.” They are light refractions, if I am to understand correctly.

Many people feed hummingbirds, but take care in that practice. Sugar water needs to be changed at least once per week, and artificial feeders should be washed thoroughly with hot water. Feeders often attain mold/ mildew, in New Hampshire’s humid weather, and if the feeder is not cleaned, you are actually writing a death sentence for the birds you like to see. A superior alternative is to plant open throated flowering plants: Morning Glories, Petunias, and Trumpet Vines with their long cylindrical blooms.

While I am on the subject, let me say this: I used to have birdfeeders in my yard and delighted in seeing the many varieties of birds that would visit. The Bluejays, Cardinals, Rufous-sided Towhees, Indigo Buntings, Juncos, Chickadees, etc. etc. brought joy to my heart. Then, I learned that the spilled seed can be toxic and was inviting an excessive population of mice into my yard, some of which found their way into my warm house. Feeding birds at feeders passes on diseases to other birds. This accounts for a disease that has been wiping out New Hampshire’s state bird, the Purple Finch.

So, now, I save myself time, money, and aggravation, and try to keep my yard bird-friendly in other ways. There are levels of vegetation in which birds can nest. One year, a Robin laid her eggs in a large plant container at my front portal. There is plenty of water in the stream at the back end of our property, and there are lots of “bugs” in the yard, upon which to feast. We don’t use commercial pesticides or fertilizers on our lawn or other growing plants. We compost kitchen peelings, leaves, etc. to add nutrients back into the soil.

The one exception to feeding the birds is a square of suet that is available to them. It is amazing to see the larger birds, like huge crows, trying to land on this meat fat that is enclosed in a wire cage and suspended from a Lilac branch. The woodpeckers are the most frequent visitors.

Birds need water, shelter, a safe place to raise their young, and natural seeds, berries, and worms for food. It is fun to be helpful to our feathered friends, and sometimes, that simply means not actively intervening, but allowing them to forage, as they must.

Patricia Cummings

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