Hummingbird Headquarters

Any day now! One of our favorite signs of spring is the arrival of our first Ruby-throated Hummingbird (RTH) in our yard. We usually start to see the first reports of a RTH sighting in CT around mid-April. According to our eBird records last year the first hummingbird we saw in our yard was on May 6. So soon... oh so soon! 

We're putting our hummingbird feeders up now because we like to be EARLY and OPTIMISTIC. Here's what you need to know: 

Who? The Ruby-throated Hummingbird (RTH) is the only variety we see regularly in CT.

When? Anytime! First reports start around April 14. Sightings can be sporadic as RTH trickle in and females disappear to sit on their nest. Come July activity really picks up as females leave the nest and fledglings are active too. The FUN lasts through the end of September.

What? Nectar. Hummingbirds primarily drink nectar from plants and feeders and eat the occasional insect.

Nectar recipe: 4 parts water, 1 part plain white table sugar. Use hot (doesn't need to be boiling) water to dissolve the sugar and let cool. Fill feeders and keep the remainder in the fridge for quick and easy refreshing. Please refresh every 3-5 days and every 2-3 days when it gets warm outside.

Use ONLY refined white table sugar; NO organic/brown sugar or honey. And NO red dyes, please!

Adding native plants to your garden will really make your yard a bird HOT SPOT. Some of our favorites include: Butterfly Milkweed, Beebalm/Wild Bergamot, Trumpet Honeysuckle, Wild Columbine, Jewelweed, Cardinal Flower and Purple Coneflower.