Hummingbird Time!

It is humming bird time in Texas!  In the upcoming weeks you should be spotting a tiny bird zipping from flower to flower.  

Tiny? Yes, tiny.  Hummingbirds are the smallest bird in size.  Ranging from the 2ish-inch Bee Hummingbird of Cuba to the 8.5-inch Giant Hummingbird of South America.  Even though they are small in size, their "family" is huge; with approximately 340 species recorded.  Of those species, you are more likely to white-eared, green-breasted mangoes, blue-throated and Allen's broad-billed in the greater Houston area. That doesn't mean you won't see a few others!

Want to see them more often? Make a hummingbird friendly backyard. Plan a variety of summer blooms such as Turk's Cap or Salvia and set up feeders containing sugar water [see recipe below.] Hummingbirds are fierce competitors so if you spot multiples, then add more feeders. Once they find a food source, they will come back annually and maybe even all year long!

Hummers sugar water
Ingrediants

• 1/4 cup REFINED white sugar (Honey can promote fungal growth & organic, natural sugars contain harmful levels of iron)
• 1 cup boiling water
• bowl
• spoon

Steps

• Mix sugar & boiling water until sugar is dissolved.
• Cool and fill feeder.
• Hang up your feeder outside and wait for the hummingbirds to visit!