Time to Put Up Those Feeders Hummingbirds have returned to the hills and woods of West Virginia and, once again, its time to put out nectar feeders to attract these fascinating little birds, according to Bernie Dowler, Chief of the Wildlife Resources Section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources. The ruby-throated hummingbird is the only hummingbird that breeds east of the Mississippi River, although occasionally other species are seen in the Mountain State.
Hummingbirds use a long, brush-like tongue to draw their sustenance, nectar, from flowers.
They also consume tiny insects and spiders. Because of hummingbirds' fondness for nectar, they can easily be attracted to your backyard by feeders or planting of flowers. Many styles of commercial feeders are available for hummingbirds. The feeders most attractive to hummingbirds have some red color located on them and perches for the birds. Although you can buy nectar, a much cheaper and just as nutritious method is to mix one part white table sugar to four parts boiling water.