If you live in the eastern United States, ruby-throated hummingbirds may pay you a visit this spring. For those living in the West, species such as black-chinned, Costa, Ellen, Rufus and Anna hummingbirds may migrate through your yard. Either way, if you’re lucky enough to live in an area frequented by hummingbirds, you can encourage a close visit by hanging a hummingbird feeder in your garden. These tiny birds need to consume a staggering amount of calories daily to fuel their incredibly fast metabolism. In fact, hummingbirds have the highest metabolic rate of any animal on Earth.
While hummingbirds eat small insects, sap and pollen, most of their food is sugary nectar secreted by flowers that depend on them and other pollinators such as butterflies and bees for seed dispersal. You can attract hummingbirds to your garden by planting their favorite flowers, including lantana, zinnia, salvia, flowering tobacco, petunias and foxgloves. But, for a real show, it’s hard to beat the appeal of a hummingbird feeder where you can easily see it from a nearby window or garden bench.
Here’s what you need to know about hanging and maintaining your feeder Attract hummingbirds.
1. You only have one hummingbird feeder.
It is common for a hummingbird, usually a male, to claim the feeder as its own and aggressively chase all other visitors. While it’s fun to watch the birds’ aerial hijinks, you want to get as many hummers as possible to visit your feeder. The solution is to hang at least two feeders (preferably more), spacing them at least 10 feet apart. That way, the dominant bird can still defend its turf, but you’ll also get to enjoy other visiting hummingbirds.
2. Your feeder is crawling with ants and bees.
ant, beeAnd Wasp Like hummingbirds all enjoy sugar water. A trick for Keep ants away Hang your feeder with strong fishing line, which is difficult for ants to climb. You can also combine eating ants, eg Hummers Galore Hummingbird Feeder Insect Guarddirectly above the feeder. Once the water is full, the ants cannot cross the moat to reach the nectar.
If you’re trying Keep bees away from your hummingbird feeder Prevent them by hanging a saucer-shaped feeder instead of the traditional bottle-shaped version. Saucer feeders, viz This hummingbird feeder from JuegoalEasy for hummingbirds but difficult for insects to use, so you can enjoy watching feathered visitors without getting stung by bees or wasps. Saucer feeders are much less likely to drip than conventionally shaped vessels.
3. You don’t have a water source for hummingbirds nearby.
Although they do not drink much water, as the nectar they sip provides enough to keep them hydrated, hummingbirds need water to bathe just like other birds. Splashing helps keep their feathers in good condition and washes away any sticky nectar residue that drips while drinking. Bathing also removes insects and dust. Unlike many other backyard birds, hummingbirds rarely visit traditional birdbaths. However, what they love is the mist. To attract more hummers to your yard with a misting water feature, install a very shallow fountain with a solar-powered bubbler, such as AISITIN Solar Bird Bath FountainSet on the best spray. (For other high-quality options, see our A Research Guide to the Best Solar Birdbath Fountains.) Position the fountain so that it is very close to the feeder, and also close to a shrub or tree where the birds can sit while their feathers dry.
Related: Best bird bath, tested and reviewed
4. Hummingbird feeders are dirty.
Mold and bacteria grow quickly in the sugary nectar that hummingbirds love, and both can sicken birds that sip the spoiled liquid. For this reason, it’s important to give your hummingbird feeders a thorough scrubbing at least once a week, more often when it’s warm.
Many hummingbird feeders are dishwasher-safe; If that is the case with you, Wash them in the dishwasher Regularly if your model is to be hand washed only, soak the disassembled feeder in soapy water, rinse well and scrub off any mold or grunge. Bottle brush For the body of the feeder. Then, use An old toothbrush Or a pipe cleaner to scrub ports and any other hard-to-reach places. Rinse everything thoroughly, and let all parts dry before reassembling your feeder, filling it with nectar, and hanging it in your yard.
5. The nectar is spoiled.
Hummingbird food spoils quickly, especially when the weather is hot. Because hummingbirds can get sick from drinking spoiled nectar, it’s important to replace heirloom food regularly. At a minimum, change the nectar twice a week during cold weather and every other day (or even daily) when the temperature is 80 degrees or warmer. You can also keep nectar fresh by keeping your feeder out of direct sun. Choose a place with a dappled the shade Or a location that is shaded during the peak heat of the afternoon.
6. You are using red nectar.
Hummingbirds are very attracted to bright colors, especially reds, oranges, pinks and purples. In fact, if you enter the yard wearing a shirt in one of their favorite colors don’t be surprised to see a curious hummer nearby to inspect you. However, it is not true that hummers need red in their nectar to detect it. In fact, some wildlife experts feel that red food coloring is possibly harmful to hummingbird health. As long as the feeder itself is red and hung in an easily visible position from above, birds will see it. So go ahead and fill the feeder with clear commercial hummingbird food, or mix your own. Remember this simple Hummingbird food Recipe: Mix 1 part white table sugar to 4 parts water.
Related: 30 gorgeous plants that attract hummingbirds to your garden
7. You take the hummingbird feeder down too soon.
In some areas of the West, especially southern California, hummingbirds persist year-round. But in most of the country, hummingbirds only visit during the warmer months before returning to South America for the winter. As a general rule, hang your feeders in mid-March if you live in the south or a mild-winter area, and early to mid-April if you live in the north or anywhere with very cold winters.
It’s not true that leaving your feeder up will discourage hummers from migrating in the fall, but there’s no point in leaving it in place if the birds are gone. A good rule of thumb is to take down hummingbird feeders 2 weeks after you stop seeing visitors. It is usually mid to late October in the north and early November in the south.
If you live in Southern California or another area where hummers live year-round, it’s a good idea to keep your feeders open year-round.
All you need to do is take care of your lawn and garden
