It's said that every square foot of land in North America is investigated by hummingbirds in the course of a year. If you provide the right flowers, hummingbirds will be the inevitable result. Special feeders that hold sugar water will also do the trick, though they require more care. A crucial element in attracting hummingbirds is to be ready when they arrive. In southern Iowa, Ruby-throats can show up as early as the end of April.
Males appear first, females later.
May. But when that first gorgeous little fellow checks out my garden, I want to be sure he finds something wonderful. One part granulated white sugar in four parts of clean boiled water. Finding such a rich source of food, a hummingbird is likely to stay for several days before moving on. In a few weeks, with more hummers still arriving daily, the columbines bloom in my yard, and they provide an added incentive to the tiny birds. Hummingbirds adore columbines.