Hummingbird Heaven at the Shores

Hello! I’m Nate and I’m spending the summer here at Searsport Shores. One of the first nature based projects I have worked on is our very own hummingbird garden. Hummingbirds are the smallest species of bird in the world, being shorter than 4 inches and weighing less than 4 grams. Don’t let their size fool you; they are an integral part of Maine’s ecosystem. These little guys are expert pollinators and play a big role in the success of gardens and wild plants.

Besides the environmental benefit of hummingbirds, they are entertaining to watch and come in bright and vibrant colors. The hummingbirds that we are most likely to attract are Ruby Throated hummingbirds. Although other hummingbird species have been rarely spotted in Maine, the Ruby Throated hummingbird is our most common species. They are most easily identified by their bright red throats and their green tinted bodies.

In order to know how to attract hummingbirds, I had to do a little research. From browsing online I made several discoveries about hummingbirds: they love to live around the edge of the forest, they need a nearby food source, and they are attracted to the color red. We set up our hummingbird area in a lightly forested space across from the gardens. Our gardens are full of flowers that hummingbirds love.

Three hummingbird feeders were strategically placed in our hummingbird paradise to attract as many as we can. The area was completed with the tying of red ribbons everywhere we could fit them, in the hopes that our little friends will catch a glimpse while they fly by.

If you’re looking to make your own backyard Hummingbird garden, check out this article by the National Audubon Society.                 https://www.audubon.org/content/designing-hummingbird-garden-15-ways-keep-them-coming