Pets are not always that are kept in a cage or locked in your place and adore it.
They are some times left free or natural in state and still referred as pets, just like humming birds.
Humming birds come in all colors of the rainbow.
A special feature of humming bird which attracted many people is that the color of the humming bird feathers change in sun light. Fortunately, people today have recognized that the feathers look great on the bird, rather than separating them from the bird.
In broad-spectrum, wild humming birds are not good pets, because these birds need a specialized diet and when not fed properly they get sick and die soon. A humming bird has very high metabolism rate.
They eat much food and need 3.14 to 7.6 calories per day. When compared with human’s metabolism, the bird’s metabolism rate is 77 times higher. A humming bird can digest a big fruit in just 10 minutes.
Humming birds prefer to live in large territories, which do not have any limits, where they can use their specialized flying techniques for finding food and mates for company. All these are impossible to provide in a small cage.
How to attract humming birds and maintain them as pets?
You do not need any big set up to attract humming birds; all you need is a garden full of flowers and a humming bird feeder (which attracts wild birds).
There is nothing more relaxing than having a sight of humming birds flying in your garden. Rather than shrubs, plants that bear flowers attract hummingbirds, as they drink nectar from the flowers.
Azalea, Butterfly Bush, Cape Honeysuckle, Manzanita, Mimosa, Red Buckeye, Coral Honey Suckle, Cypress Vine, Morning Glory, Trumpet Creeper, Bee Balm, Cardinal Flower, Columbine, Coral Bells, Four O’ Clock, Hummingbird Mint, Penstemon, Yucca, Fuchsia, Jewelweed, Petunia and Shrimp Plant attract humming birds to your garden.
It is a myth that hummingbirds are only attracted to red colored flowers. Humming birds apart from red colored flowers attracts to other colored flowers and light colored flowers.
Do not spray pesticides to kill the insects on the flowers. These pesticides can also harm your humming birds because these birds also feed on insects. So, stop bothering about insects that will spoil your plants and flowers. Humming bird will help in removing all the insects from the plant.
Bird feeders:
Usually the hummingbirds are not fed in bird feeders; they can search their food which is sufficient for their appetite. But, in winter, there is lack of food as the flowers shed and bird feeders are necessary to help feeding the birds.
Selecting a proper bird feeder is important. Primary need of a bird feeder is that should be in red color.
Providing red color bird feeder will initially attract the birds and once they are used to the bird feeder, the feeder can be in any color. Some times, they can also be hung or kept in between flowers to recognize food source.
The main source of food that is provided in the feeder is nectar and even seeds can also be provided some times. Never use honey or artificial sweeteners in the feeder.
Honey is different from nectar, nectar is pure form obtained from the flowers and honey is fermented form with added sweetness.
Tips for caring bird feeder:
- Feeder should be cleaned every time before it gets refilled.
- Nectar should be changed for every 3-4 days.
- Never use harsh cleaning agents to clean your humming bird feeder.
- Rinse with hot water every time you change the nectar.
- Do not fill nectar in the feeder to its neck, maintain some space. Half fill the feeder, as the birds will not drink all the nectar and satisfy their hunger. Keep in mind that humming birds love to search food.
- If ants find your bird feeder, steps should be taken to control them. Ant moat is a small plastic cup that keeps ants away from the bird feeder.
If the birds find your plants interesting or your bird feeder interesting, they will visit again and again. Maintain a clean and hygienic garden and bird feeder to attract humming bird.
