Hummingbird Tips

(photo by Gene Austin)

• Nectar - use either a brand mix or make your own with 1 part sugar, 4 parts water. Store in the fridge until ready to put out for the birds. ·
• Hang feeder in shaded area to reduce the speed of fermentation. The nectar will stay fresh longer.
• Hang your nectar feeder in a position clearly visible for observation and away from cover so that cats cannot stalk the feeder.
• Maintain a good distance between multiple nectar feeders to avoid too many territorial battles! Hummers try to protect "their" feeder.
• Keep the nectar fresh. Throw away nectar after 3-4 days and refill with fresh nectar if not consumed by the hummingbirds.
• Maintain a constant supply of fresh nectar to keep the hummers coming back, from late March to October.
• You will see more hummingbirds at your feeders after their breeding season, August to October.
• Keep your feeder clean. The sugary nectar mix will encourage mold to grow; therefore, wash thoroughly with mild soapy water and rinse. Use a pipe cleaner or a nectar feeder port cleaning brush to keep the tiny nectar ports free of dirt and mold.
• Use an ant trap to stop ants from infesting the feeder.
• Use bee guards to stop bees feeding at the feeder.
• On some brands of feeder, bee guards are yellow or the feeders have yellow parts, this may attract Yellow Jackets. Paint the yellow parts red using nail polish. This will stop the Yellow Jackets from coming to your feeder.
• Setup a water mister in bushes and watch the hummingbirds bathe.
• Hang fruit or banana skins in a shaded area to attract tiny fruit flies.
• Hummingbirds consume winged insects as their source of protein. It is fun to see their acrobatic behavior chasing their prey.