A look at Anna's Hummingbirds

The Anna's Hummingbirds are year round residents in this region: They expanded from California and don't have the instinct to migrate south. Their habitat is influenced by humans; they enjoy parks and residential neighborhoods with flowers, shrubs, trees and hummingbird feeders.

It is important to keep feeders clean and to change sugar water at least once a week, because mold can kill these birds. During extreme cold weather it is essential to keep the liquid thawed, especially early in the morning when they wake up from torpor, a slowing of their metabolism. Feeders can be rotated and brought in, or wrapped with hand warmers or lights can be placed. There are heat lamps made for feeders, which works well, too.

If one plans a winter vacation and can't tend to them for a while, it is best to remove the feeder and stop feeding them in the fall.

It is also important to their existence not to trim shrubs and trees during their nesting time from the beginning of March to the end of August. Their tiny expandable nests are easily overlooked in shrubs or on cedar tree branches.

Hummingbirds need their own space. Caring for them requires some maintenance, but they're so much fun to watch that it is well worth it.