If you have flowers and feeders for hummingbirds in your garden, adding a swing for them to perch on may attract more of them. Hummingbirds flap thousands of times each minute.
Because flying requires so much energy, your local birds will also look for a safe place to rest. Thank goodness you can make a DIY hummingbird perch with a dowel rod or stick, craft wire, and beautiful beads.
Unlike other birds, hummingbirds can't jump on the ground, making perches vital. On perches, hummingbirds can warm themselves, clean their feathers, and rest from soaring.
WildBirdScoop.com bird specialist Kelsey Waddell told Homes & Gardens how vital this swing is to these birds. "Perches nearby let them rest between feedings instead of hovering, saving energy.
The perch, fashioned from a thin wooden dowel rod or an outdoor pole, is the most significant feature of this swing. Find a straight, narrow stick for a level perch.
If you prefer dowel, a 7-inch, 5/16-inch rod is ideal. A hardware store dowel, like Lowe's Madison Mill poplar dowel ($2), will likely be too long and need to be cut to your desired perch length.
Craft stores have lovely hobby wire and wire cutters for this project's 12–20 gauge wire. For instance, Michaels offers Bead Landing aluminum jewelry wire for $5, which is ideal.
This thicker wire will form an arch above your perch, while smaller wire can be used to connect ornaments to help hummingbirds find your swing.
Beads may seem like a nice touch, but they may attract hummingbirds to your garden. Try making beads in red, pink, yellow, and orange to attract hummingbirds, which love flowers.