Attracting Hummingbirds 

to Your Garden Using 

Native Plants

Forest 

Service

Black-chinned 

Hummingbird feeding 

on mountain larkspur, 

fireweed, and wild 

bergamot (clockwise 

from top)

National 

Headquarters

Publication

Number FS-1046

April

2015

United States Department of Agriculture
	 Many of us enjoy the beauty of flowers in our

backyard and community gardens. Growing native

plants adds important habitatfor hummingbirds and

other wildlife—especially pollinators. Even small

backyard gardens can make a difference.

	 Gardening connects us to nature and helps us

better understand how nature works. This guide

will help you create a hummingbirdfriendly garden.

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Hummingbird garden guide

Why use native plants in 

your garden? 

Hummingbirds have evolved with 

native plants, which are best adapted 

to local growing seasons, climate, and 

soil. They prefer large, tubular flowers 

that are often (but not always) red in 

color. In this guide, we feature seven 

hummingbirds that breed in the United States. 

For each one, we also highlight two native plants found in 

its breeding range. These native plants are easy to grow, 

need little water once established, and offer hummingbirds 

abundant nectar. 

Broad-tailed 

Hummingbird 

feeding on 

scarlet gilia

What do 

hummingbirds, 

butterflies, and bees 

have in common? 

They all 

pollinate 

flowering 

plants.

Hummingbirds are 

restricted to the 

Americas with more 

than 325 species of 

hummingbirds in 

North, Central, and 

South America.
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What is pollination? 

Pollination is the process of moving pollen 

(male gamete) from one flower to the ovary of another 

flower of the same species, which produces fertile seeds. 

Almost all flowering plants need to be pollinated. 

Some plants are pollinated by wind or water, and 

some are even self-pollinating. However, most 

flowering plants depend on bees, hummingbirds, 

and other animals for pollination. 

Keystone species

We call hummingbirds and other pollinators 

keystone species because they are a species upon which 

others depend. For example, when a hummingbird 

feeds on the nectar and pollen of blueberry flowers, it 

pollinates the flowers that will produce fruit eaten by 

songbirds, black bears, and dozens of other animals, 

including humans. 

Pollinators are vital to maintaining healthy 

ecosystems. They are essential for plant reproduction 

and produce genetic diversity in the plants they 

pollinate. The more diverse plants are, the better they 

can adapt to changes in the environment.

Flowers and 

hummingbirds 

have a mutualistic 

relationship where 

both benefit. Flowers 

produce food in the 

form of nectar (sugar 

and water) to attract 

hummingbirds that, 

in turn, move pollen 

for the plant 

(pollination).

Hummingbirds and pollination

Ruby-throated 

Hummingbird 

feeding on the 

nectar and pollen 

of blueberry flowers At rest, a hummer’s 

heart beats an 

average of 480 beats 

per minute. On cold 

nights, it goes into 

torpor (hibernationlike state), and its 

heart rate drops to 

45 to 180 beats per 

minute.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Archilochus colubris

The Ruby-throated is the 

only hummingbird to breed 

east of the Mississippi River. 

These hummingbirds nest 

in deciduous woodlands 

adjacent to old fields, forest 

edges, meadows, orchards, 

stream borders, and 

backyards. In the fall, they 

migrate nonstop day and 

night over the Gulf of Mexico 

to winter in Central 

America—a 500-mile 

journey.

trumpet honeysuckle 

Lonicera sempervirens

red cardinal flower

Lobelia cardinalis

Male:

• 31⁄4–33⁄4 inches

• ruby-red gorget

• distinctively 

forked tail

 GARDENING

Trumpet honeysuckle (right) 

fits in any garden space; the 

more sun this vine gets, the Most hummingbirds more flowers it produces. of the United States 

and Canada migrate 

south to spend winter 

in Mexico or Central 

America.

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Summer

Winter

Resident
5

fireweed

Chamerion 

angustifolium

mountain larkspur

Delphinium glaucum

Black-chinned Hummingbird

Archilocus alexandri

This abundant hummingbird can best be identified 

by the way it pumps its 

tail almost constantly in 

hovering flight while 

feeding. One of the most 

adaptable hummingbird 

species, the Black-chinned 

breeds in urban gardens and 

recently disturbed habitat, 

as well as in pristine natural 

canyons and riparian 

areas.

Male:

• 31⁄4–33⁄4 inches

• black head and 

chin with band of 

metallic purple on 

bottom edge

 GARDENING

Fireweed naturally colonizes 

disturbed areas, so it grows 

quickly and can spread. No other bird 

can hover like a 

helicopter for 

as long as 

hummers do.

Summer

Winter
manzanita

Arctostaphylos spp.

hummingbird trumpet

Zauschneria californica

Anna’s Hummingbird

Calypte anna

A year-round resident along 

the Pacific Coast, the breeding range of the Anna’s 

Hummingbird species has 

greatly expanded because 

the eucalyptus trees 

that the hummingbirds 

feed upon and nest in have 

spread north. Males have a 

distinctive song that is long 

for a hummingbird—a series 

of buzzes and a whistle, 

followed by sharp chip 

notes. These hummingbirds 

are commonly found in 

urban and suburban settings,

as well as wilder places such 

as chaparral, coastal scrub, 

oak savannahs, and open 

woodland.

Male:

• 31⁄2–4 inches

• rose-red head 

and gorget

• white spot 

behind eye

 GARDENING

Drought tolerant and evergreen, 

manzanita always looks green 

and healthy, even in the hottest, 

driest part of the summer. Don’t 

overwater, and be sure to plant 

local species. 

To attract females, 

males conduct 

elaborate courtship 

flight displays—

climb, dive, swoop, 

and climb again. 

Each hummer 

species has a distinct 

aerial display.

6

Summer

Winter

Resident
7

Hummingbird food

Hummingbird flowers 

Although hummingbirds prefer red flowers, they 

often feed on flowers of other colors. In fact, hummers 

arriving in late April in the western interior mountains 

must feed on flowers of many different colors since few 

native red flowers bloom before June. So, for your garden, 

choose flowers in a variety of colors and with lots of nectar. 

Hummers can hover; therefore, they have little need 

for flattened flowers with landing platforms 

(sunflowers). They prefer long, tubular flowers 

(penstemon or honeysuckle). Flowers use 

scents to attract insect pollinators. Since 

hummingbirds don’t have a good sense of 

smell, hummingbird flowers are often unscented.

Above:

Hummingbirds hover 

and can feed easily 

on penstemon. 

Insects, such as leafcutter bees, prefer a 

landing platform.

penstemon

goldenaster

Hummingbird feeding tips

Use hummingbird feeders that—

• are easy and quick to clean;

• have no hidden parts where 

mold can grow;

• have a built-in ant moat, if possible; and

• have no yellow parts (yellow attracts bees and wasps). 

For the nectar solution, be sure to use a ratio of 

1:4 cane sugar to water. In hot weather, clean feeders 

and replace nectar solution often. To support more 

hummers in your yard, set up several feeders rather than 

one large feeder. Some hummingbirds, especially Rufous 

and Ruby-throated, will aggressively defend a feeder from 

other hummers.

Sap wells and insects

Sap wells created by sapsuckers supply many animals 

with a quick energy boost. Hummingbirds need lots of 

insects (protein) in their diet and will nab insects 

stuck in sap wells.
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Planning your garden— 

 think like a hummingbird.

Think native. Hummers are 

best adapted to local, native 

plants, which often need less 

water than ornamentals. 

Think patience. It takes time for native 

plants to grow and for hummers to find 

your garden, especially if you live far from 

wild lands.

Think bountiful. Plant big 

patches of each plant species 

for better foraging efficiency. 

Think water. Hummingbirds will bathe in dripping 

water, shallow creeks, and even garden sprinklers.

Think perches. Hummingbirds 

spend much of their time perched on 

dead branches and dead tree tops—

resting or surveying their territory.
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Think tall. Hummingbirds nest on 

the branches of tall shrubs and trees, 

which provide cover and escape from 

predators.

Think chemical free. 

Pesticides and insecticides 

kill insect pollinators and can 

harm hummingbirds.

Think aware. Observe 

hummingbirds when you 

walk outside in nature. 

Notice which flowers 

attract them. 

Think friendly. Create hummingbirdfriendly gardens at home, at schools, and in 

public parks. Help people learn more about 

hummingbirds and native plants. 

Think diverse. Plant a diversity 

of flowering species with abundant 

pollen and nectar.

Think showy. Flowers should 

bloom in your garden throughout 

the growing season. Plant willow, 

currant, and columbine for spring, 

and aster, salvia, and goldenrod 

for fall flowers.

Think safe harbor. Domestic cats 

can kill hummingbirds. Please keep 

them indoors. 

Think a little messy.

Most insects nest underground or in 

leafy debris so avoid using weed cloth 

or heavy mulch. More insects mean 

more food for hummingbirds.
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bearded penstemon

Penstemon barbatus

ocotillo

Fouquieria splendens

Costa’s Hummingbird

Calypte costae

This tiny, desert 

hummingbird lives in 

the Sonoran and Mojave 

deserts of Arizona and 

California. Costa’s 

Hummingbirds breed in 

rocky, thorny shrublands 

and cactus-covered hillsides 

along desert washes of 

Arizona and in the 

chaparral and coastal 

scrub of California. 

Male:

• 3–31⁄2 inches

• violet-purple crown 

and gorget

• short tail

 GARDENING

These beautiful plants (right)

are a little finicky, but well 

worth the effort. All penstemon 

Hummers can species attract hummingbirds.

consume more than 

half their weight in 

nectar each day, plus 

insects.

Summer

Winter

Resident
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golden currant

Ribes aureum

wild bergamot

Monarda fistulosa

Calliope Hummingbird

Selasphorus calliope

The smallest bird in the 

United States, the Calliope 

weighs only as much as two 

paper clips, yet migrates 

annually between Canada 

and Mexico. Calliope males 

make a bumble bee-like 

buzz when courting females 

or displaying at other 

animals that invade 

their territory. These 

hummingbirds breed in 

mixed coniferous and 

deciduous forests near 

streams and in shrubsapling forests with 

openings caused by 

timber harvest or fire.

Male:

• 23⁄4–31⁄4 inches

• iridescent reddishpurple gorget, 

which he can 

display outward 

like ”calliope pipes”

 GARDENING

One of the first plants to flower 

in the spring in the Rockies, 

golden currant (right)attracts 

lots of pollinators, including 

hummingbirds and native bees.

Hummers lay the 

smallest eggs of any 

birds.

actual size

Winter

Resident
12

scarlet gilia

Ipomopsis aggregata

scarlet hedgehog cactus

Echinocereus coccineus

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Selasphorus platycercus

A hummingbird of 

subalpine meadows, the 

male Broad-tailed 

Hummingbird is often 

heard before he’s seen. 

He makes a buzzing 

whistle as air rushes 

through his outer primary 

wing feathers. Broad-tailed 

Hummingbirds breed at 

high elevations in subalpine 

meadows and shrubby 

areas with nearby forests

 of pine, fir, or spruce in the 

southern and central Rocky 

Mountains.

Male:

• 33⁄4–41⁄4 inches

• rosy-red gorget

 GARDENING

Hummingbirds do love cactus 

flowers. Scarlet hedgehog cactus 

needs full sun and little water.

The small size 

and relatively large 

flight muscles of a 

hummingbird allows 

it to beat its wings 80 

times per second.

Summer

Resident
13

Columbia lily

Lilium columbianum

western columbine

Aquilegia formosa

Rufous Hummingbird

Selasphorus rufus

Pugnacious and fiercely 

territorial, the Rufous 

Hummingbird male takes 

on hummingbirds or other 

birds twice its size. These 

hummingbirds have the 

longest migration route of 

any hummingbird in the 

United States. Some migrate 

more than 2,000 miles 

every year—from Alaska 

to Mexico. They breed in 

open, shrubby areas, forest 

openings after severe fire, 

and willow flats from sea 

level to about 6,000 feet.

Male:

• 31⁄2–4 inches

• reddish orange 

iridescent gorget

• orange back 

and belly

 GARDENING

Easy to grow, lovely columbine Tiny hummer nests (right) likes shade and water. contain lichen, 

feathers, bark, 

leaves, moss, and 

plant pieces glued 

together with spider 

webs.

Summer

Winter
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Why hummingbirds need our help...

Hummingbird hurdles

Migration is risky business. Most hummingbirds 

that breed in the United States migrate to Mexico 

(Ruby-throated migrate to Central America) to winter—

an amazing and dangerous journey. 

Biologists also worry that the populations 

of some hummingbird species are 

declining—Rufous, Calliope, and Costa’s 

in particular. Other pollinators, such as 

bumble bees and honey bees, are in trouble 

too. It appears that habitat loss, invasive 

species, and pesticide poisoning account for 

many of the declines. 

Yet, perhaps the greatest threat to 

hummingbird survival is the effect of changing 

climates on flowering phenology (when flowers 

bloom) because even minor changes in climate can 

produce large changes in nectar availability and 

in blooming dates.

Helping hummingbirds

You can help hummingbirds by 

participating in citizen-science efforts like 

Project Budburst, Hummingbirds at Home, and

Journey North—programs that depend on you to 

record your observations. Scientists can then 

analyze this data to better understand the needs 

of hummingbirds and other wildlife.

For more information, check out these Web sites:

• http://www.budburst.org

• http://www.hummingbirdsathome.org

• http://www.learner.org/jnorth

• http://www.pollinator.org

• http://www.westernhummingbird.org

lobelia
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How do I find hummingbird-friendly 

native plants for my garden?

Gardening for hummingbirds

Best of all, we can do our part to 

support hummingbirds by creating 

beautiful hummingbird-friendly 

gardens, by providing safe havens 

for migrating birds, and by 

protecting wildlife habitat. 

 The Pollinator Partnership offers 

31 different planting guides 

tailored to specific ecoregions in 

the United States. Each guide is 

chock-full of native plant and 

pollinator information. 

To get the guide specific 

to your ecoregion: 

1. Visit the Pollinator 

Partnership Web site: 

http://www.pollinator.

org.

2. Click on Planting Guides. 

3. Enter your 5-digit 

zip code. 

You’ll find the Selecting Plants for Pollinators guide 

that fits your region. Check out the charts that list 

which native plants grow best in your area so that you 

can attract more hummingbirds to your garden.

Your Source for Pollinator Action and Information.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the Assistant

Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 

(866) 632-9992 (Toll-free Customer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).

Text: Susan Reel • Design and Illustrations: Nancy Seiler

Printed on recycled paper.

Calliope Hummingbird 

feeding on scarlet paintbrush