hummingbirds – Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Durham County

by Rausa McManus, EMGV

If you’ve heard that you need to take your hummingbird feeders down in October to let hummingbirds know when to migrate, read further for another viewpoint. The idea that the availability of nectar in man-made feeders will keep hummingbirds from migrating south is a myth. Birds are genetically programmed to migrate due to their hormones, circannual rhythms, triggered by the length of the days and the changing angle of the sun. Leaving your feeders up with fresh nectar will help the late-migrating stragglers as they travel through North Carolina and also feed some winter-hardy hummingbirds who may live here year-round.

It can be difficult to identify hummingbirds by sight in the winter. However, banders have helped confirm the identification of certain species. The most common hummingbird species seen here in the Piedmont is the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) (left photo). In recent years, however, volunteer banders have recorded rufous (Selasphorus rufus) (right photo), black-chinned (Archiloches alexander), and calliope (Selasphorus calliope) hummingbirds in the Carolinas during winter migration.

In order to keep the nectar edible for these winter feeders, the water to sugar ratio should be 4:1, with no food coloring. The nectar also needs to be changed every three to five days to keep it fresh. At this concentration, the liquid will not freeze unless the temperature gets below 27 degrees. Keeping your feeder full and fresh will help the late-migrators replenish their energy stores so they need to make it to their southern destination.

There are many researchers interested in collecting data on winter-migrating hummingbirds. If you do see hummers visiting your feeders between November 1 and March 15, make a record of the type and number of the birds you see. The North Carolina Museum of Sciences is studying hummingbirds that overwinter in the Carolinas. They would like to hear from Piedmont residents who spot these little hummers and they encourage you to leave those feeders up through the cold months.

Photo Credits: Ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) by Bill Gordon/Great Backyard Bird Count at audobon.org. Rufous hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) at naturalsciences.org https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Other photos by R. McManus.

Resources and Further Reading
naturalsciences.org
https://feederwatch.org/learn/articles/hummingbirds-in-winter
www.carolinabirdclub.org/misc/hummingbirds/winterhummingbirds.html
https://abcbirds.org
https://hgic.clemson.edu
www.audubon.org

By Jane Malec, EMGV

The are many great reasons to put a red buckeye tree in your landscape. This small tree will help you attract hummingbirds, butterflies and bees. It was a past winner of the Pennsylvania Horticulture Society Gold Medal Plant award. The bright flowers along with the light brown flaky bark and the coarse open habit make for an interesting ornamental plant. Plus, and here’s some great news, it is very deer resistant!

The Aesculus pavia has several common names – red buckeye, Scarlet buckeye and firecracker plant – and is considered a large shrub or a small tree. It’s common name, buckeye, comes from its seeds which are dark brown with a pale scar and resemble the eye of a male deer.

There are several cultivars including the Spendens which is smaller growing, 8-12”H x 5-12”W, and the Humilis which can grow over 30’ in the wild. The growing habit will differ with its location. The Red buckeye loves the sun and will grow its tallest in this environment. However, it will be susceptible to leaf scorch if it gets too much of our brutal afternoon sun. Keep it mulched and water in order to keep the roots cool. As always the best advice is morning sun and afternoon shade!

The Red buckeye will adapt to a shady spot as well which will result in a more open shrub-like habit and fewer flowers but it will thrive.

Speaking of flowers, hummingbirds and butterflies love this plant! The flower buds will emerge with spring foliage growth. They are 1-1/2 long, usually a beautiful bright red and in clusters of 6 to 10” tall when fully open. Red buckeye is one of the first plants of the season with red tubular flowers. You can expect the panicles to emerge from mid-March to mid-April. Operation Hummingbird in York County, SC ranks this plant in the top ten best hummingbird-attracting plants. Bees will also love the nectar producing flowers.

So, here is one strong word of caution when deciding to include this plant in your landscape. The often quite abundant fruit is highly toxic. The shiny nuts can be attractive to small children and some pets and will cause kidney failure. Keep the Red Buckeye close enough to enjoy the wild life that are attracted to it but far from the active places in your environment. Creating a welcome habitat for nectar loving friends doesn’t mean every plant must be close to your home.

A final note – when looking for feedback on this article, I received encouragement from a wise person from Ohio. She ended her comments with “anything Buckeye made her happy”. That probably isn’t true for those who are fond of Wolverines but as for me…I will be planting Buckeyes!