Birds of West Cobb
It looks like you are in the market for a new or replacement Hummingbird Feeder?
Hummingbird Feeders now come in many shapes and sizes as well as various construction methods ranging from Glass bottles, to acrylic plastic, or recycled plastic. They can be as simple as needed or very intricate pieces of custom-blown glass with multiple colors. Here in the South East United States, there is rarely more than one species of hummingbird. If you see one other than a Ruby-throated Hummingbird it is probably migrating through and won't be around for long. But why is this important to keep in mind when buying a feeder (or feeders, plural)?
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are pretty aggressive feeders and will guard or protect their food sources from other ruby-throated hummers. Throughout the Spring and Summer months, you will seldom see more than a single hummingbird on a feeder at the same time, even with multiple perches available and plenty of home made nectar. For this reason, we recommend getting MORE than one hummingbird feeder, and placing them a decent distance apart, so long as you have the space to do so. Otherwise one hummingbird can "protect" or guard, both feeders with ease and prevent others from feeding.
(Continue reading more, below!)
Here Are Our Top Picks for Hummingbird Feeders
These Perky Pet feeders have built-in Ant Moats and also bee-guard screens on the blossoms, and for the low-price, they are very durable and come in a 2-pack! You can even gift one to your friends or score a great deal for Mother's day!
The Netvue Birdfy Smart Hummingbird Feeder comes with 2 different camera lenses to capture your hummingbirds whichever direction they are flying from Click the image above to purchase one from Amazon today!
The Red Jewel Hummingbird Feeder is a favorite with his incredible looks, tinted red glass, and the copper accents really look nice. This feeder makes for some great photos of the hummingbirds also! Click the image above to purchase from Amazon.com
Where should I hang my hummingbird Feeder?
Here in the South, we are pretty lucky to get a cool, moderately mild Spring that lasts more than a few weeks. Let's face it, the weather pretty much skips "warm" and goes straight to HOT. Hummingbird nectar is just sugar and water, (please don't use store bought "nectars!"), and it can turn rancid very quickly in this warm or hot weather. For this reason we recommend hanging your hummingbird feeders in the shade Shade under a large tree or under the eve of your home would be optimal. We are lucky to have a covered porch that keeps our feeders pretty well-shaded and the fluid lasts 1-2 days longer than if you hung your hummingbird feeder directly in the sun.
How often should I change my Hummingbird Feeder Nectar?
As mentioned above, the hummingbird feeder nectar can (and WILL!) get funky really quickly in the late Spring and Summer months. We typically make a batch of "nectar" which is 1 part sugar and 4 parts water, boiled and then cooled down to room temperature, and then we store this in the refrigerator for a week or so in a glass bottle. In the shade and in cooler weather, we change the nectar every 4-5 days. In the peak of Summer though, when temperatures range from mid-80's to 90's outside, change the nectar every 2-3 days. This ensures the health and safety of our favorite (tiny) feathered friends! PRO-tip: You don't need to completely fill the feeder each time, just go 1/3 full to save the water, sugar and the waste!
How can I keep ants out of my Hummingbird Feeder?
Ants can very quickly find a droplet of sugar-water on the ground or the wall near a hummingbird feeder, and send scouts to find more These scouts will eventually locate the source of the nectar and leave a chemical "breadcrumb" trail back to the nest. Very soon after, you'll have a small army of ants traveling to the feeder, drinking as much nectar as they can hold, and then making the return trip. To avoid spraying toxic chemicals near these tiny birds AND their drinking sources, we strongly recommend purchasing either an "Ant moat" or buying a bird feeder that has one built-in. It is however, quite important to keep this ant moat clean, as other birds will find and drink from it often!
How can I keep Yellow Jackets out of my Hummingbird Feeder?
Ants are one thing, but how do you keep Yellow Jackets out of your hummingbird feeders? One or two can occasionally visit without too much of a worry from your hummingbirds, however if you start seeing a few, many more can and will soon follow! For Yellow Jackets specifically, we recommend the RESCUE! brand yellow jacket traps, but keep these 30-50ft from where your feeders are located if that is possible. This will help collect yellow jackets and reduce their numbers quickly. However, at the feeder itself is another issue. Certain feeders are more prone to yellow jackets and even honey bees getting inside the fake blossoms or just being able to access the nectar. You'll want to choose a feeder that prevents this with a small mesh or grid (see the Perky Pet feeders we mentioned above)- don't worry the hummingbirds can poke their beaks right through and drink the nectar! Their tongues are also quite long and can extend their reach as well!