Hummingbird feeder tips?

[faerywings]

I am a 100% hummingbird newbie but am excited to give this a try. I was given a feeder last summer and I finally put it up yesterday. I know that we have hummingbirds where I live. My across-the-street neighbor has the patience of the saints- he will sit out on his deck, not moving, and they will land on his hand.
I put my feeder where I have seen them before. I have a hanging flower basket by my front door and have seen them buzzing about in the past so I think that the placement is good.
The feeder came with a packet of nectar mix. I filled it with that but I know that most people make their own/have their own recipe. The instructions of the packet also said to soak the feeder in vinegar every three days when you add new nectar. I've never heard that before, do any of you do that?

If you have any tips or tricks on how to get them to come and feed so I can see them, I'd love to hear all about them!

 

[Kythe]

First and foremost do not use coloured nectar mix or use red food colouring. A red feeder does the trick of attracting the birds.
My hubby changes the nectar every week (4-5 days if it is hot) and thoroughly washes the feeder each time. The hotter the weather the quicker the nectar can spoil. If you plan on keeping the feeder during the winter it is best to get a heater attachment to go on the bottom so that the nectar isn't too cold or frozen.

If mixing your own nectar use only white granulated sugar. Nothing else.

1. Bring approximately one cup of water (tap or distilled) to a boil.
2. Add one-quarter of a cup of white sugar, frequently stirring.
3. Once the sugar appears to be fully dissolved, allow the mixture to cool before filling your hummingbird feeder.
4. Nectar with more sugar is more difficult to digest, and it is possible that if hummingbirds are only drinking very sweet nectar, it could cause liver or kidney damage

Cleaning:
Avoid using dish soaps, as this can leave harmful residue in the feeder. I don't think hubby uses vinegar but I have seen many articles that say it is safe if rinsed really well.

Humming birds are territorial so often 2 feeders will solve the problem of one bird claiming a feeder. I have watched a male fight off others who want to share the same feeder. He would sit on a branch and wait for others to come.
Place the feeder near bushes (that predators cannot reach/climb), away from windows (at least 10 feet to avoid collisions) and out of harsh sun.

Hope that helps a bit.

 

[taxed4ever]

My recipe for nectar 4 cups water 1cup sugar will dissolve faster if the water is boiling of course when it has cooled then fill your feeder. I store the remaining nectar in a glass mason jar in the fridge so it’s handy when you need more. I give it a good cleaning and never use food colouring. I have lots of birds so having two feeders is handy. I have found that they do not like the store bought nectar. Be patient it might take a few days before they find your feeder and if I were you I would dump the store bought nectar.

 

[LSlycord]

I haven't used a feeder since I've been down here in Florida but we have lots of plants that attract them. The hummingbirds seem to be really attracted to my firecracker bush. New house so all new birds to learn. I heard cardinals this morning but I didn't see them. The feeder will go up tomorrow and we will see what happens. I would never have the patience of your neighbor!

 

[Cherylndesigns]

We have had 2 feeders in the back of our house for 3 years and they come in droves. We live in the country though and we never had a lot of luck when we lived in a suburb. They line up like little airplanes on a runway to get their turn at the feeder. We do use the red nector because that's what we buy and they love it. I've heard that it doesn't have to be red, but I don't know about that. All I know is they come to our feeders and they're right outside my scraproom/office window and I get the bigget kick out of watching them. We have to fill the feeders every few days because they drain them dry.

 

[LSlycord]

We have had 2 feeders in the back of our house for 3 years and they come in droves. We live in the country though and we never had a lot of luck when we lived in a suburb. They line up like little airplanes on a runway to get their turn at the feeder. We do use the red nector because that's what we buy and they love it. I've heard that it doesn't have to be red, but I don't know about that. All I know is they come to our feeders and they're right outside my scraproom/office window and I get the bigget kick out of watching them. We have to fill the feeders every few days because they drain them dry.

Oh, that has given me an idea for outside my office window. I would enjoy that for sure.

 

[AZK]

I have a feeder right outside the door to my balcony so I can see it when I sit in my living room. It does sometimes take a while for the hummers to notice your feeder, just be patient. I also make my own nectar using the 1:4 sugar to water ratio.

 

[faerywings]

Thank you all for the tips. Nothing happening yet. I am going to give it another day with the store mix and then I'm going to wash it out and try the boiled sugar water tomorrow.

right outside my scraproom/office window

Oh, that has given me an idea for outside my office window.

^^
That was my immediate thought process too- until I remembered that my office is on the second floor! haha! But the place I have it now I can see from where I sit at the dinner table...So *fingers crossed that I will see them from there*

 

[Cherylndesigns]

Oh, that has given me an idea for outside my office window. I would enjoy that for sure.

I love seeing them, Linda. So does the cat. He sits in the windowsill and watches them. They don't even pay any attention to him.

 

[Cherylndesigns]

Thank you all for the tips. Nothing happening yet. I am going to give it another day with the store mix and then I'm going to wash it out and try the boiled sugar water tomorrow.




^^
That was my immediate thought process too- until I remembered that my office is on the second floor! haha! But the place I have it now I can see from where I sit at the dinner table...So *fingers crossed that I will see them from there*

Yeah, that would be a PITB to refill those feeders every other day.

 

[bcgal00]

Another tip is to use a toothbrush with dish soap to scrap all the little crevices of the feeder and a toothpick poked thru the feeding holes makes sure they are not clogged up. I put up a feeder last week but here in Kamloops there aren't the plentitude of hummers like the Vancouver area I moved from but hopefully they will discover the feeder soon.

 

[faerywings]

I am going to dump the "mix" nectar today, I haven't seen any at all near it. I'm going to boil some sugar water this morning.
Thank you all for the tips