Ruby-throated hummingbirds are starting to return to the Northeast, including the Hudson Valley, as part of their spring migration. By late May, they’re typically established across the region, including Rockland and Bergen counties. Each year, these tiny travelers make the journey north from Central America and southern Mexico, with the first sightings often in mid- to late April and numbers building steadily through the season. Males usually arrive a week or two ahead of females as they establish feeding territory.
What to plant to attract hummingbirds
Here are some tips from Down to Earth Living to attract hummingbirds to your garden.
Hummingbirds are especially drawn to bright, tubular flowers, particularly in shades of red, orange, and pink. Incorporating native plants helps support hummingbirds while also benefiting local ecosystems and other pollinators. Include plant nectar-rich, native blooms such as:
- Bee Balm
- Columbine
- Trumpet Vine
- Salvia
- Cardinal Flower
- Jewelweed
- Coral Bells (recommended by the Audubon Society and other birding experts for attracting ruby-throated hummingbirds)
Additional ways to invite hummingbirds into your garden
- Use a simple feeder mix: 1 part white sugar to 4 parts water. No red dye needed.
- Provide perches and shelter with native shrubs or small trees, which also support the small inspects hummerbirds rely on for protein.
- Offer a water source such as a mister or shallow fountain for bathing.
- Avoid pesticides, which can reduce the small insects hummingbirds rely on for protein.
Attracting hummingbirds has additional benefits beyond their beauty
- Pollination: As they feed, hummingbirds help native plants reproduce, making them important pollinators.
- Natural Pest Control: They eat tiny insects like aphids and gnats, helping to keep pests in check.
- Boosting Biodiversity: Gardens that attract hummingbirds also support other pollinators and wildlife.
- Good for You, Too: Watching these energetic birds promotes nature appreciation, and can also reduce stress and support mental well-being.
How to create a hummingbird-friendly habitat
Hummingbirds travel alone and depend on reliable food sources along the way. Creating a welcoming habitat with nectar-rich plants, a water source, and some shelter can help support them throughout the breeding season, which in this region typically runs from spring into early fall.
Bring hummingbirds to your yard this season
Follow these tips, and you’re likely to spot hummingbirds in your yard this season. You’ll find everything you need at Down to Earth Living to welcome them and keep your garden blooming all season long.
The expanded indoor plant showroom at Down to Earth Living is now open for the spring season, with free repotting available when you purchase a plant or pot.
Get your garden ready at Down to Earth Living
Down to Earth Living, now in its 56th year, is a Garden Center serving Rockland, Bergen and Orange counties and the Hudson Valley, offering 12.5 acres filled with perennials, flowers, shrubs, and trees, with new plants arriving weekly. The 10,000-square-foot showroom features a selection of contemporary, classic, traditional, and transitional teak, aluminum, and all-weather dining and deep-seated furniture. Down to Earth Living is located near Bergen County at 1040 Route 45 in Pomona, New York. For more information, call 845-354-8500 or visit www.dteliving.com.
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