Mid-march is when the hummingbirds begin moving through the southern portion of the US. By the first week of April through mid-month, the hummers are filtering into New England, Oklahoma, and Missouri. By mid-May they are moving north of the border into the Canadian provinces. No matter when they arrive on your doorstep, they are always hungry! Help these little guys along by being sure to hang up your feeder before they arrive and give it the proper maintenance throughout the season.
I love to see the first hummingbirds come through, so I hang up my feeders early. You can safely hang your feeders before birds have arrived, but be sure to change the nectar if the weather is warm, hummingbirds or no! If you are thinking of adding a hummingbird feeder to your yard this year, there are a few things to think about when placing your feeder. Try not to put it too close to a wall or in a corner, and especially not too close to a window. I know we all love to see these little energy-bombs up close, but fights among hummingbirds can get heated, and sometimes birds flee blindly into a wall or window. With lots of room around the feeder and many places (trees and shrubs) for the little birds to hide, you’ll make sure more birds are benefiting from your efforts. If you’re putting up more than one feeder, keep them out of sight of each other. These birds are extremely defensive about their food sources! Many times, one dominant bird will fight for exclusive feeding rights to your nectar. As the saying goes, out of sight out of mind.
Buy a brightly colored feeder. Most people will swear that fire-engine red is the most effective, but any bright color will work. There is some speculation that yellow attracts bees and wasps, so for the sake of prevention you might avoid it. If your feeder is drab, you can always tie a bright ribbon to it or even attach some artificial flowers to the outside. Avoid any nectar with food coloring in it. You can make your own nectar by combining 1 cup of water with ¼ to 1/3 cup granulated sugar. In warm, dry weather it is best to keep the ratio to 4 parts water to 1 part sugar so the birds get more water. In damp, cool weather the birds can use the extra energy and you can bump up the ratio to 3 parts water to 1 part sugar. Though using honey instead of sugar may seem like a no-brainer, it is a very bad idea for your hummingbirds. Be sure to flush the feeder with hot water and change your nectar every three days or so, and sterilize the feeder perches when you change the nectar.
Ants will find your feeder if you don’t take steps to prevent them! Many feeders come with a moat that you can fill with water. If yours doesn’t, you can make your own by inverting a plastic cap, punching a hole in it, feeding your hanging wire through it, dabbing the hole with glue, and filling the cap with water. Do not put any kind of insecticide or insect repellant on or near your hummingbird feeder. Most feeders have feeding tubes short enough to allow hummingbirds to reach the nectar with their bills but long enough to prevent bees and wasps from reaching it. The insects will be drawn to the sweet smell of the feeder, but if you keep the outside clean from drips and spills they shouldn’t stay long enough to bother the hummers.
