Jody Allair, Director of Community Engagement
In Canada, mid-to-late summer may seem like a slow point in the backyard birding calendar. And it’s true for many species – but not hummingbirds. August is actually the busiest time for families of hummingbirds visiting nectar feeders and flower gardens before their big migration to Mexico and the southern US.
We have five regularly occurring species of hummingbirds across Canada. From Alberta to the East Coast, you can find the widespread Ruby-throated Hummingbird. From the foothills and mountains of Alberta west through British Columbia, you can spot the Rufous Hummingbird and the diminutive Calliope Hummingbird. The final two species are found only in British Columbia – the Anna’s and Black-chinned hummingbirds.
Calliope Hummingbird. Photo: Caroline Lambert
Rufous Hummingbird. Photo: Finn Grathwol
Black-chinned Hummingbird. Photo: Neal Hutchinson
Anna’s Hummingbird. Photo: George Clulow
Feeding hummingbirds is very popular across Canada. And why wouldn’t you want to attract these amazing little fireballs to your backyard? For those who are interested in attracting hummingbirds, or who feed them already, here are a few tips and tricks to consider.
Planting nectar-rich flowers can attract hummingbirds, like this Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Photo: Ian Maione
If you have access to a yard, one of the best things you can do is grow plants that have nectar-rich flowers for hummingbirds to feed on. Having a mix of trees and shrubs will also provide habitat for roosting and nesting. To learn more about which plant species you should consider growing visit our fantastic free online resource www.birdgardens.ca.
Window collisions are also an issue that affects hummingbirds and treatments for your glass should be taken into consideration whenever you are putting up feeders or naturalizing the habitat near your home.
For those who use traditional hummingbird nectar feeders, it is very important that you follow a few guidelines. First, make sure that you clean your feeder with hot, soapy water weekly. For heavily soiled feeders, you can use a vinegar solution or a very mild bleach solution – just be sure to rinse well.
When purchasing a feeder, make sure it has a large opening so that you can clean the inside of the feeder thoroughly.
Traditional hummingbird feeders can be used to attract birds like this Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Photo: Rocco Macri
There is no need to purchase packaged nectar solution, and absolutely no need to purchase artificial solutions containing red food colouring. You can make nectar using four parts water to one part sugar. Boil the water, remove from heat, and stir in the sugar until dissolved. After the solution has cooled, fill your feeders, sit back and enjoy some of the most spectacular birds in the world!
If you have a photo of one of these dazzling little birds, share it on social media (X, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn) and tag us!
And don’t forget you can document all of your hummingbird observations in eBird Canada.