Hummingbird feeders: some advice, please?

[Flaxbee]

I'd like to get a feeder soon - can anyone recommend one version over another? Pros and cons? Do you make your own sugar water? I've heard that many of the mixes have preservatives that aren't necessarily good for the beautiful little birds. If you do make your own, can you please share your recipe?

Thank you! I have a 'regular' feeder for blue jays, cardinals, anyone else who wants to stop by, but for the first time this morning I saw a hummingbird whiz by and I certainly don't want to be a buffet that excludes anyone!

[Mrs.Matcom]

1. any glass feeder with red will work

I bought one at Lowe's that has a red top on the glass bottle and a red bottom with little yellow flower ports that they feed out of.
I make my own syrup too. Boil one cup of water. Add one cup of sugar, stir and bring back to a boil for five minutes. Pour into a pitcher and add three cups of cold water or three cups of ice. Once cool pour into feeder, but only fill feeder 1/4 to half full. Change syrup at least once a week if not more (gets cloudy or ants are getting in) and make sure you wash it between fillings.
Good luck!! :hi:

[Flaxbee]

5. thanks! we have a Lowe's pretty close by ...

thanks for the syrup recipe, too! :hi: back!

[XemaSab]

2. The cheap plastic feeders work fine

:hi:

[Flaxbee]

6. ok, duly noted!

Thanks :hi:

[marzipanni]

7. Though I defer to XemaSab's knowledge of bird stuff, I like a studier feeder

I have a plastic hummingbird feeder (cost about $8.00)and the bottle part of it became fragile after two summers in the sun (for half of the day). When it was perched on the drying rack it fell to the kitchen floor and two little holes chipped out. The bottom red part with the little flower feeding ports is much sturdier plastic and will last a lot longer. I'm going to write to the company and ask for a replacement part, because I think they should realize the clear plastic gets brittle.
Anyway, I would buy the bigger model with a thick glass bottle. They cost abot $11.00.
P.S. A pipe cleaner works well to clean the feeder ports and the interior of the syrup receptacle which can get moldy.

[XemaSab]

8. There are two schools of thought:

get an expensive, bombproof feeder that will need more cleaning and maintanance but will last through the decades, or get a cheap feeder and replace it once every couple years. :shrug:

[Lars39]

3. A small amount of rice and water when you clean them takes

care of mold.

[Flaxbee]

4. so - how would I do that?

mix rice with water and shake it around inside the feeder, so the rice is a gentle nontoxic abrasive?

[Lars39]

13. Yep.

A toothbrush with a really flexible neck works well, too. :hi:

[RushIsRot]

9. I also recommend the glass feeders, but more importantly

the reservoir with the feeding ports needs to be a two-piece affair to facilitate a better cleaning.

[lost-in-nj]

10. I have another Hummingbird feeder question

if you don't mind me piggy backing.....

How do you keep the ants out?????

they take all the liquid before the hummingbirds even get here.....


Thanks
:hi:

lost

[cathandler]

11. Try mixing paprika with petroleum jelly and smearing that concoction

at the top of the wire, where it connects to the hanger. You can also get ant traps for the feeders.

I clean my hummingbird feeders with a little bleach and a bottle brush -- that seems to take care of the mold.

[pokerfan]

12. Some feeders come with ant moats

You can probably fashion one for your current feeder.

An ant moat is a small cup-like device that hangs between your feeder and your hook. Fill it with water, and it creates a barrier to ants!

[havocmom]

14. One part sugar to four parts water - no coloring - get a feeder with some red on it

Keep it clean and be consistent about where you put it.

Depending on where you live, you might get some night-time feeders too:





(bat pics were uploaded to the online version of The Arizona Daily Star by a Tucson area resident)

Edited to add: Look into any birder groups in your area for guidance to local proclivities of birds where you live. Your local Ag Extension Office may have recommendations for who to contact.

[bigwillq]

15. WOW!

Those bat pics are awesome! :bounce:

[havocmom]

16. Aren't they? Saw the slide show on the online paper and had to save those gems

People in Tucson area have LOTS of chances to get amazing wildlife pics right outside their windows.

[nolabels]

19. Looks just like big rats with wings!

Sorry for the apprehension, just got done with hunting down a whole pack of them pesky rats from around the house a few months ago.

[Flaxbee]

20. those are some fantastic photos!

bats are so cool...

thanks, there's a pet store here mostly for birds and the guys who own it are apparently avid, avid birders.

[CC]

17. I use the HummZinger Mini

feeder for my hummers. I learned about HummZinger feeders and making sugar water here http://www.hummingbirds.net/feeders.html . Mine are 3 years old now and still look new. I went with the smaller mini because we have Ruby throated hummingbirds and they do not share well so there is usually only one bird eating at each feeder. It causes less waste to use 6 oz. of sugar water than higher amounts. I change the water every other day since it gets pretty hot here. The feeders were cheap enough that I have two for each spot, one up while the other is getting cleaned. I have had no bee or wasp problems with them and no ants since I learned to be very careful to not spill the sugar water when putting them up.
There is a downside to hummingbird feeders though...next thing you know you are buying a camera (if you don't already have one) and buying bigger faster lenses so you can take pictures of them.:evilgrin: I can lose hours watching and trying to capture them.

[sarge43]

18. Check out the saucer type made by Droll Yankee

Eight ports, holds four cups of sugar water, can either be hung or placed on a post and best of all, easy to clean. A hummer feeder must be thoroughly washed every time it's refilled. It's pricey, but well made. We've had ours for five years now and they're going strong.

Recipe: 4 to 1 mix of water and granulated sugar. Don't use honey; they can't digest it. That's all they need. Sugar water is a quick energy boost for them.

If you have more than one feeder, try to place them out of sight of one another. One of the little maniacs will hog a feeder and drive the others away.