A Quick Hack For Easily Attracting Hummingbirds To Your Yard

Hummingbirds are among some of the most popular birds in the U.S., and there seems to be a growing interest in attracting them to home gardens and yards. While using white granulated sugar in your hummingbird feeder is one way to attract these quick and tiny birds, there are other methods as well. Some are also more anecdotal in nature, like hanging colorful napkins and ribbons around the yard.

This hummingbird hack purportedly works because of their natural attraction to bright colors. According to Mississippi State University Extension, hummingbirds particularly favor red, orange, and white. Unfortunately, their affinity for bright colors has also led to harmful errors, such as using red food coloring in hummingbird nectar. While it's been established that hummingbirds are indeed attracted to bright colors, it's not clear how well napkins might work. Adding napkins around your yard or garden might also have the unintentional consequence of creating litter if they are blown away or even safety hazards when picked up by other animals, so it's important to take them down periodically if you choose to use this method.

While the scientific research backing colored napkins for attracting hummingbirds is lacking, there are other more reliable methods you can try. If you feed hummingbirds with either homemade or store-bought nectar free of dyes, you may be able to lure them to your garden by using a red or other bright-colored feeder. Another option is to tie a red or other brightly colored ribbon to the feeder. Some hummingbird lovers have also had anecdotal success with tying orange ribbons around trees in their yards. It's thought that this method works not only because of its color, but the movement of the ribbons in the wind might also further catch the attention of hummingbirds when they're flying.

Finally, it's also important not to forget other natural ways you can attract hummingbirds. These include plants they can feed from. Planting begonias outside can help attract hummingbirds to your yard, as well as numerous others. During an eight-year community research program called "Hummingbirds at Home," the National Audubon Society found that hummingbirds were attracted to several bright-colored flowers, such as beebalms and sages. Consider planting a variety of native flowers to help attract and feed hummingbirds that stop by your yard or garden.