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14 SAY YOU SAW IT IN SUBURBAN September 28, 2021 - October 18, 2021<br />
MAINE<br />
PHOTO | STATEPOINT<br />
Tips to attract hummingbirds to your yard<br />
STATEPOINT<br />
Do hummingbirds frequently visit<br />
your yard? Would you like them to?<br />
There are some important things to<br />
know in order to protect the safety<br />
and promote the health of these<br />
beautiful, vibrant visitors.<br />
MIGRATION<br />
After their breeding season, hummingbirds<br />
migrate south for the<br />
winter. This autumn journey is long<br />
and potentially perilous, requiring<br />
considerable amounts of energy to<br />
complete. Taking steps to make your<br />
property a safe haven will give hummingbirds<br />
an important opportunity<br />
to rest and refuel.<br />
Birdfeeders<br />
One way you can help hummingbirds<br />
thrive is by stocking your<br />
garden with small native species of<br />
flowers to give wildlife needed nourishment,<br />
as well as cover from predators.<br />
You may want to supplement<br />
this nourishment source with a birdfeeder<br />
too, as hummingbirds need to<br />
eat often and in large amounts relative<br />
to their size. You can make a<br />
homemade nectar with just a few ingredients,<br />
according to the Audubon<br />
Society, or purchase a ready-made<br />
version from the store. When making<br />
a selection, keep in mind that<br />
experts warn that you should stay<br />
away from hummingbird food that<br />
contains red food coloring or dye,<br />
as it could be potentially hazardous<br />
to their health. Another important<br />
thing to know is that nectar does go<br />
bad, so be sure to regularly empty<br />
your feeder of unconsumed nectar<br />
and clean it completely before refilling<br />
it.<br />
SAFER WINDOWS<br />
When birds are feeding, they are<br />
easily frightened and are apt to take<br />
wild, evasive flight. To avoid this<br />
from happening, position birdfeeders<br />
closer than three feet or farther than<br />
30 feet from windows. Surprisingly,<br />
the safest placement is attached to<br />
the window itself.<br />
Whether you have birdfeeders or<br />
not however, you should also be sure<br />
to apply special decals that reflect<br />
ultraviolent sunlight in order to<br />
make your windows visible to birds<br />
of all kinds. This is because millions<br />
of birds are killed annually in the<br />
United States when colliding with<br />
windows. Those from WindowAlert<br />
have the appearance of frosted glass,<br />
but glow like a stoplight for birds,<br />
so you don’t have to compromise<br />
your own view out your window. The<br />
brand also makes a high-tech liquid<br />
called WindowAlert UV Liquid,<br />
which should be applied between<br />
decals for even greater visibility. To<br />
learn more about window decals for<br />
birds, visit windowalert.com.<br />
“Hummingbirds are not only beautiful,<br />
they are important pollinators<br />
vital to the ecosystem,” says Spencer<br />
Schock, founder of WindowAlert.<br />
“With a few simple steps, you<br />
can make your yard a safe haven<br />
for these wonderful migratory creatures.”
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