Tiny, iridescent hummingbirds can be an exciting addition to
your backyard wildlife. If hummingbirds live in your area,
you
can attract them by planting red, tubular flowers. There
are many red-flowered plants to choose from. Over 160
native North American plants depend exclusively on
hummingbirds for pollination. Many of the red-flowered
annuals, perennials, vines, and shrubs available from mail
order sources or local garden centers have been developed
from the native red-flowered plants of the western
hemisphere.
There are extensive plantings of native Missouri wildflowers
at Lakeside Nature Center. You will see hummingbirds
feeding all summer long
Hummingbird Facts:
·
The smallest bird in the world, the Cuban bee hummingbird is
2 1/4” long – about the size of a bumble bee.
·
Hummingbirds, like helicopters, can hover. They can also
move ahead, sideways or backward at will.
·
A ruby-throated hummingbird, (most commonly seen hummingbird
in MO) weighing about one tenth of an ounce, can travel 600
miles in migration.
·
Hummingbirds not only sip nectar, but also eat tiny insects
and spiders. They may drink up to eight times their body
weight daily in water.
·
Although their normal body temperature is about 103º F (40º
C) it may drop to 70º at night. They have the ability to
endure temporary cool weather or cool nights by becoming
dormant.
·
There are 340 species of hummingbirds in the world and all
are found only in the western hemisphere. Of these, only
one, the ruby-throated hummingbird, is found regularly in
Missouri.
List of plants for attracting
hummingbirds
