Gardening for Hummers!
- Pooja Arora
- Apr 4
- 3 min read
By Pooja Arora
When I moved to Southern Ontario, I was eager to explore my new surroundings, but I never expected my garden to become the most fascinating part of my experience. Last summer, as I settled into my new home, I found myself enchanted by a few tiny visitors: ruby-throated hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris). They were male birds sporting shimmery red throats and golden green backs [1], attracted primarily by the native flowers [2] I had planted, such as bee balm, columbine, and cardinal flower. Their presence felt like a warm welcome from nature itself. Throughout the day they flew with full energy from flowers of all sizes, collecting pollen and transferring it, fuelled by the flower's sweet nectar.
My garden haven
Enthused to see more of these mesmerizing creatures, I learnt that these birds are especially attracted [1] to bright red, orange, and pink flowers since their vision is finely tuned to these colours. Interestingly, their beaks are adapted to fit long tubular flowers that bees cannot access.
By planting such colourful native flowers in my garden, I had created a hummingbird haven – a sight to behold!
These tiny birds were natural pest controllers, too, feasting on small insects and spiders. Hummingbirds eat twice [2] their body weight in food each day, with 80% of their diet coming from insects! It reminded me of how interconnected nature truly is and how, when left undisturbed, it can create a perfect balance. Thanks to these wonderful birds, my garden required minimal maintenance.
Left: The brilliant scarlet of a nectar-rich late-summer blooming native cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis) signal a feast for this female ruby-throated hummingbird. Photo: Mohan Iyer. Right: Male ruby-throated hummingbird and the mid-summer blooms of native bee balm (Monarda didyma). Photo: Peeter Poldre.
Miniature migrants
However, in fall as the temperatures dropped, the ruby-throated hummingbirds disappeared. They followed their regular migration pattern [3], returning north in the spring from their wintering grounds, primarily in Central America and southern Mexico [4]. That was when I realized that hummingbirds are most active in the warmer months, and as temperatures fall, their food sources diminish as well. My garden, once alive with movement and colour, became still and quiet as its overwintering inhabitants sheltered in their cozy nests, dens, and fallen leaves. I missed the hummers’ bright presence and my vibrant garden filled with colourful butterflies and buzzing bees.
Nonetheless, hummingbirds will be making their return to Ontario in April once the warmer weather arrives [5]. Beyond their role as pollinators and pest controllers, they bring life, movement and a sense of wonder to our surroundings. Watching a hummingbird hover in midair, its tiny wings beating faster[6] than the eye can follow, reminds us of nature’s magic.
How to welcome returning hummingbirds
Now is the perfect time to prepare your garden for hummingbirds. Whether through planting a variety of nectar-rich native flowers with red tubular blossoms, safe nesting sites, or simply leaving a sugary feeder out as a supplementary nectar source, every effort helps these remarkable birds thrive. In return, they offer us a glimpse into the beauty and balance right in our own backyards.
If you need help in creating a vibrant garden to witness and hear the hummers, reach out to Blooming Boulevards!