If You Want To See More Hummingbirds In Your Yard, Tie This Around Your Trees

All across North America, backyard bird enthusiasts exert a lot of effort to have more hummingbirds visit their outdoor space. Much consideration is given as to the best time to put out hummingbird feeders. They plant trees in hopes that hummingbirds will flock to their backyard. Many even add water features to keep hummingbirds cool and hydrated. 

While each of these actions will definitely help draw hummingbirds, it has been proven that these tiny winged creatures are most attracted to color — bright, vivid color. According to the Brandywine Conservancy, hummingbirds actually have no sense of smell. As is often the case when one sense is lacking, another is heightened. In the case of hummingbirds, that heightened sense is their vision and they are particularly keen to hues of red, yellow, orange, and pink. Some research suggests this is because those are the colors of high sucrose flower blossoms.

This attraction to vivid colors is the reason hummingbird feeders are typically adorned with bright shades of red and orange. Many gardeners have capitalized on this by cultivating plants that add color to their garden to attract hummingbirds. However, there is an even simpler solution. If you want to see more hummingbirds in your yard, tie a colored ribbon around your trees.

Working on the premise that hummingbirds are attracted to color, anything you can do to add color to your yard will attract more birds. Even if you have feeders sprinkled around your backyard, adding colored ribbon to the area can make your yard stand out and potentially be more attractive than others in the area with the same flowers.

When it comes to hanging colored ribbons in your yard, there is really no wrong way to do it. You can tie a big ribbon around the trunk of your tree or you can hang ribbons in branches. Alternatively, place them on bushes and around your deck railings. You can also add strands of colored ribbon to your feeders or feeder poles.

While any type of ribbon or colored cloth will work for this purpose, considering it will be exposed to the elements, it's best to utilize a ribbon designed for outdoor use. Waterproof poly satin ribbon is a good choice, as is fluorescent flagging tape. Although each of these materials have a relatively long life, it is a good idea to keep an eye on the ribbon and change it out when the color begins to fade.