Hummingbirds are on their way

April is the “official” start of tourist season for hummingbirds in Kane County, so it is time to put out the welcome mat, they’re on their way. Many will stay through summer and raise a brood or two, as long as sup­plies last.

Hang feeders where you can enjoy the show and watch for predators like the praying mantis. Photo courtesy of Desiree Beaudry.

Attracting hum­mingbirds and main­taining feeders is a low-cost, low-mainte­nance enterprise, and the return on invest­ment is incalculable. To prepare nectar, dis­solve white granulated sugar in warm water at a ratio of 1:4. Do not use honey, molasses or brown sugar as they can harm or kill the birds. Clean and sani­tize feeders regularly and hang outdoors where you can enjoy the show and watch for predators like the praying mantis. If you find one on your feeder, gently remove it and relocate away from the feeder. Mantises are beneficial in the garden and need to eat, but not on my watch.

These aerial acro­bats are spitfires and will fiercely defend a single feeder. Multiple feeders require slightly more effort, but the payoff is more birds, more action and more fun. Black-chinned hummers breed in Kanab. They face com­petition from the Ru­fous variety during their migration from mid-July through Sep­tember. Broad-tailed hummers prefer high­er elevations, while Anna’s can be found at lower elevations in Washington County.

For anyone leaning toward “I’d rather not bother,” consider tak­ing an afternoon off and setting a spell on the porch at the Best Friends Animal Sanc­tuary (BFAS) Visitor Center. There, you can watch a gazil­lion humsters perform aerial maneuvers at astonishing speeds while avoiding midair collisions with impec­cable precision.

This week’s chal­lenge: download a Sound ID app and learn to use it. I use Merlin, a free app that draws from a vast database to suggest likely bird IDs. Install the US: Southwest bird pack when prompted. The app can produce a few goofy suggestions now and then, but it is right more often than not, and your birding-by-ear skills will improve in short order. It can distinguish humming­bird as well.

Visit the reservoir, or find a bird-friendly place, and sit still. Before long, a bird or two will catch your attention. At the res­ervoir, listen along with Merlin for Ameri­can coot, mallard and red-winged blackbird while scanning the water, trees and sky for avian activity, both noisy and quiet. You may not hear the great blue heron stalking the shoals or the red-tailed hawk perched near the top of a tall pine, but they are there.