| Hummingbirds are wonderfully unique birds to | | | | |
| watch. They flutter, hover, dodge, dart and | | | | Red is very attractive to hummingbirds, so |
| just simply seem to play. However, all that | | | | your feeder should have some red in it. |
| moving around burns a tremendous amount of | | | | Please do not use red food coloring in your |
| energy and they need to feed frequently. They | | | | homemade food. To color a sugar mixture, find |
| literally fly to eat and eat to fly! | | | | a bird friendly coloring at your local |
| | | | birding store. |
| What is the hummingbird feeder for? Most | | | | |
| people don't realize that the main food of | | | | Keeping desirable flowers in your garden near |
| the hummingbird is insects, but they need the | | | | the feeder is also helpful in getting those |
| sugar rich nectar to provide them the energy | | | | little guys to frequent your feeders. |
| to search for the insects, that is where we | | | | Flowering plants like Columbine, Begonias and |
| humans come in. Hummingbird feeders are | | | | Holly Hocks, as well as Fuchsias, Coral Bells |
| usually filled with a mixture of 4 parts | | | | and Lantana will definitely increase your |
| water to one part sugar. This mixture should | | | | chances. Impatiens, Penstemen, and Petunias |
| be boiled to ensure all impurities are | | | | along with Geraniums and Flowering Tobacco |
| killed. Any excess can be refrigerated until | | | | are also favorites of hummingbirds. There are |
| needed. The mixture should be changed at | | | | many other types of flowers hummingbirds will |
| least once a week and more frequently in very | | | | frequent. |
| warm weather. In addition to changing the | | | | |
| nectar, the feeder should be cleaned | | | | Be careful putting multiple feeders too close |
| regularly. Since this is a sugar mixture, | | | | together! Hummingbirds are very territorial |
| you are sure to attract many other nuisances | | | | and will defend their "turf", sometimes to |
| you may not want to feed, such as bees, ants, | | | | the death. Another safety tip is to keep |
| and even bats. | | | | your feeders several feet away from windows |
| | | | and dense cover, like large bushes. If you |
| All sugars are not created equal, at least | | | | are having problems with hummingbirds (or any |
| that is what the hummingbirds say. When | | | | other kind) running into your windows, take a |
| given the choice, hummingbirds prefer | | | | look from their perspective and see if you |
| artificial nectar made from cane sugar rather | | | | can see a reflection of the sky, or another |
| than beet sugars. If you are not attracting | | | | window on the other side of the house that |
| them, check and make sure the sugar you are | | | | looks like a passageway. Large bushes can |
| using is cane. | | | | hide predators, like your neighbors cat, that |
| | | | may try and attack the birds. |
| Ever have a problem with your feeder being | | | | |
| full at night when you go to bed, but empty | | | | The best time to start putting out feeders is |
| in the morning? You may think you have a | | | | when the weather starts to warm up. Yes, this |
| sneaky neighbor taking all your nectar, but | | | | is a little vague, but hey, these guys aren't |
| it is most likely due to bats. Bats also | | | | on a schedule. Since they are migratory |
| love the sweet nectar and can drain your | | | | birds, you will have a good chance of getting |
| feeders overnight. One strategy to keep bats | | | | them to hang around if you get your food out |
| out is to find bee covers for your feeder | | | | early, while they are migrating through the |
| ports. The bat tongue is much larger and | | | | area. |
| cannot get through the bee covers. Then | | | | |
| again, maybe you want to feed the bats also, | | | | I hope you are able to enjoy this little |
| they eat huge amounts of insects every night, | | | | wonders for a long time to come, they truly |
| however, that's another story. | | | | are wonderous birds. |