Hummingbird feeder NECTAR question. How to make home made nectar ? - Garden -Trees, Grass, Lawn, Flowers, Irrigation, Landscaping... - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

Sillypups · 02-16-2009, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ihynes

One thing I always wondered about when I lived in Arizona is why my hummingbird feeder was so jealously guarded by just one or two birds, while other feeders got dozens of them. The bird at my feeder spent all of his time making sure no one else could get near it.

Our hummers are the same way. Some of the hummers get along, where others fight like crazy with another one. They fly so fast, it's almost & is impossible to follow them, especially when tree's/branches are involved.

Our hummers are so spoiled................that's ok, all the pleasure they give us, and friends & family who visit, they so deserve it.

COME ON SPRING...GOT THE HUMMER FEVER, NOW.... LOL !!!

brokencrayola · 02-21-2009, 01:16 PM

I have around 7 larger sized feeders. I put half on one side of the house and half on the other, keeping a distance between them all. That cuts down on the fighting and allows them all to eat. If you have many birds and just have one or two feeders out you will find yourself refilling once or twice a day, which gets to be a real pain. Once the babies hatch and leave the nest you will have about 2-3 times as many birds as when they first arrived. I rinse the feeders with hot water and put a tiny bit of bleach in each, let them sit 10-15 min., rinse well and refill. I never add any coloring to the sugar water, you do not need it. The red on the feeder itself is enough to bring them in. I really enjoy watching the hummingbirds every year. We do not get ours here until April or May.

EmJ628 · 02-25-2009, 01:32 PM

I just inherited a feeder with our new house, and after reading this thread I am excited to see what the spring will bring! My feeder is clear glass, does that mean I need to put food coloring in the sugar water?

33458 · 02-25-2009, 02:53 PM

Nope, no coloring needed...some say it might even be harmful to the birds.

Mine are green or clear glass, but have a touch of red to simulate a flower. I also potted some red flowering shrubs nearby to alert them and planted passiflora which they make the rounds for...but 'knew the scoop since a neighbor was already feeding them - they look for the feeders. I won't see them for another month or so.

Oh - mine prefer warm sugar water...they will not drink it cold. Go figure.