Youtube hummingbird feeders? (2023)

What is the number one rated hummingbird feeder?

We have tried lots of different types of feeders and we have come to the conclusion that the best hummingbird feeder overall is the Aspects HummZinger Feeder. The Hummzinger is a type of saucer feeder, which is drip-free unlike vacuum bottle style feeders.

Directions for making safe hummingbird food:

Mix 1 part sugar with 4 parts water (for example, 1 cup of sugar with 4 cups of water) until the sugar is dissolved. Do not add red dye. Fill your hummingbird feeders with the sugar water and place outside.

Perhaps availability of natural sources of food or nest sites have changed, causing the birds to look elsewhere. Despite their tiny size, hummingbirds can be injured or killed by free-roaming domestic cats. Some studies have also found that a good wildflower crop will reduce the number of hummingbird visits to feeders.

Sweeter nectar may also crystalize more easily, clogging feeder ports. Nectar with higher sugar levels can also ferment more quickly, becoming dangerous to hungry birds.

Glass hummingbird feeders are more substantial and more durable than plastic over the long term, although some glass feeders include plastic components like perches, covers, or feeding ports as well. Glass feeders can also be easier to clean than plastic and offer a greater diversity of aesthetics.

Bats, squirrels, raccoons and bears are usually the culprits that drink hummingbird nectar, although usually bears will be more conspicuous, as they are noisy and will typically destroy the feeder.

Try not to make it too much sweeter than a 4:1 ratio because it is harder for them to digest. There is such a thing as too sweet, even for a hummingbird.

Can I make 3:1 Hummingbird Food? A 3:1 hummingbird food recipe of 3 parts water to 1 part white sugar can be used especially during migration when a sweeter nectar solution will provide more calories to the hummingbirds at stopovers for fueling up during spring and fall migration.

While boiling will help slow the fermentation of the nectar initially, the nectar in hummingbird feeders is contaminated as soon as a bird sips it. Therefore, you do not need to boil the nectar once the sugar has been dissolved.

How long does it take a hummingbird to find a new feeder?

It may take several weeks before the hummingbirds find and begin feeding regularly from a new feeder. Before making any changes, try waiting at least two weeks to give them enough time to discover your feeder.

To further protect your hummingbird food from going bad, you'll want to put your feeder in a place that gets a mix of sun and shade throughout the day. If the sun is too intense, the nectar can heat up and spoil or ferment in just a few hours.

In areas where the nighttime temperatures only dip slightly below freezing your hummingbird nectar may not freeze as the sugar solution has a lower freezing point than plain water. However, it's better not to have your hummingbirds drink very cold nectar; this can actually cold-stun them.

You must change your feeder's nectar, even if it looks like it hasn't lost a drop, on a regular basis. During hot weather, change it every two days. In milder weather, once a week is fine.

Most experts say that two to three days in hot weather is the longest you should go without changing the water. Make that a week in cold weather. And that's assuming you boil the sugar water to kill bacteria and scrub your feeders with a bottle brush (but no soap!) every time you fill them.

Hummingbirds need to drink sugar water. They can get it conveniently at your feeder, slowly at flowers, and not at all if a drought or a plant disease kills those flowers.

Since this critical hummingbird food is easy to make by mixing the right proportions of plain white granulated table sugar and tap water, there's never an excuse not to make it from scratch. Homemade nectar is better for hummingbirds, and once you learn how to make it, you'll never rely on commercial mixes again.

It's a well-known fact that hummingbirds are attracted to the color red—it's the hue most hummingbird feeders are and the shade some retailers suggest coloring the sugar water mix to fill those feeders.

Provide Natural Food Sources

Nectar-producing flowers are a rich and popular option, and colorful blooms will attract many birds. Other hummingbird foods include tree sap, fruit juices, pollen, and insects, including spiders.

Hummingbirds usually feed heavily in morning, the evening hours and begin to settle in about a half hour or so before dark. But in some locations--especially if there is artificial lighting such as porch light--hummingbirds may actually feed well into the night, usually during warmer weather.

Why does my hummingbird feeder empty so fast?

A group of hummingbirds can empty a feeder fairly quickly. Depending on the size of your hummingbird feeder, how many different birds are visiting your feeders, and how often, you could reasonably expect a group of active birds to empty your feeder in two or three days.

One way to keep bees and wasps away is with saucer hummingbird feeders. With their long tongues, hummingbirds can reach the nectar in saucer feeders—but insects can't. Plus, while hummingbirds prefer the color red, bees are more attracted to yellow.

Look for a feeder that's bright red in color

The color red, as well as other bright colors like yellow, pink and blue, mimic the natural flowers hummingbirds get nectar from. Therefore, if your feeder is red in color, hummingbirds are much more likely to come to check it out compared to a feeder that's dark in color.

Brightly-colored flowers that are tubular tend to produce the most nectar, and are particularly attractive to hummingbirds. These include perennials such as bee balms, columbines, daylilies, and lupines; biennials such as foxgloves and hollyhocks; and many annuals, including cleomes, impatiens, and petunias.

Red flowers and feeders are rich sources of food for hummingbirds, but it turns out that it's the nectar, not the color that makes the most difference.

Try a shallow bowl of sugar water or dabs of jelly on a plate placed about 6 feet away from the hummingbird feeders. Expect to attract ants as well. There are also commercial yellowjacket traps that can be hung nearby, hopefully to draw the wasps away from the feeders.

Flying saucer-shaped feeders are one of the best hummingbird feeders you can buy. These backyard favorites super easy to clean and refill, and the sugar water is usually far enough below the feeding ports that pesky bees and wasps can't dive in for a sweet snack.

Hummingbirds are little creatures, so they are wary of any loud noises. Loud music, children, or barking dogs can all scare them away. If you want to provide a safe haven for them, keep noise to a low and see if that does the trick.

Hummingbirds are adapted to feeding at flowers, which will produce only limited amounts of nectar, so they instinctively protect their food sources even when they're at feeders with an unlimited supply.

Kenn and Kimberly: Since they're accustomed to hovering low in front of flowers, there's no real height requirement for hummingbird feeders. Just make sure the feeder is in a place where it's easy to see and enjoy! This will allow you to monitor it closely for filling and cleaning, too.