HUMMERS LOVE BACKYARDS There's no doubt about it. Most species of hummingbirds love what many of us have done with backyards. Even without any special planning or forethought, many of the brightly flowering plants that we love to have in abundance serve the tiny, feathered "helicopters" equally well. Whether those flowers -- particularly red and orange ones -- appear on our highly manicured ornamental plants, in our flower gardens, or as part of specially designed backyard habitats for hummingbirds and/or other wild creatures, they have become meccas for the nectar-sipping birds. Such places quickly become part of a hummingbird's daily rounds, possibly warranting more than a single visit each day. Our gardens, intentionally or otherwise, have become part of the forefront in hummingbird conservation. And these tiny birds, like so many wildlife species, need all the help they can find. We're far removed from those days in the mid-1800s when hundreds of thousands of hummingbirds were killed and exported to Europe for use in specimen collections, ornamentation on ladies' hats and similar applications. But we've come up with even more dangerous threats in the pesticides, herbicides and all the other "cides" that we apply to our properties in the name of green lawns. If you're thinking about attracting hummingbirds to your backyard, your first step -- the kindest, most caring thing you can do -- is to cease using all chemicals. Be assured, nearly all those pesticides and herbicides are quite deadly to your little visitors. Copyright © 1993 Quarto Publishing Inc. Excerpted from Creating a Hummingbird Garden: A Guide to Attracting and Identifying Hummingbird Visitors by Marcus H. Schneck All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
