The first hummingbirds of the season made their way to the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County at the end of April. The species you may see in the area is the ruby-throated hummingbird, named for the red patch the males have on their neck.
They feed on nectar from flowers and on various bugs, so if the flowers are blooming, the hummingbirds are zooming.
According to Forest Preserve Naturalist Abby Dean, all of the local forest preserves contain favorable habitats for hummingbirds, and you might even spot them in your neighborhood with a little help.
“So you buy a feeder that is usually red or yellow,” said Dean. “Hummingbirds are really attracted to bright colors, they feed off really bright flowers. And you put a mixture of one part sugar and four parts water and create a nectar.”
Dean said you can also plant hummingbird-friendly flowers like the cardinal flower, the royal catchfly, and bergamot.
If you’d like to learn more about hummingbird migration or report a sighting, you can go to hummingbirds.net.
Naperville News 17’s Casey Krajewski reports.
