Hummingbird Feeders
A hummingbird feeder is a great addition to any yard.
Successfully attracting these favorite birds is a real treat.
But there are a few things to keep in mind when shopping for
a humming bird feeder.
Color - While hummingbirds will generally
find red colors to be attractive, you don't have to limit
yourself to red feeders. A touch of red somewhere on the
feeder can be just as effective in attracting these birds.
Keep this in mind when buying or mixing your hummingbird food
as well, that red everywhere is not necessary, and keep from
adding the red dyes to the nectar mix.
Reservoir - Glass reservoirs tend to hold up
better than plastic, and will stay cleaner longer. In
inverted reservoir has the advantage of delivering the food
longer, and it's easy to see how much food is left.
Perches - While the most common image of
hummingbirds is feeding in flight, at times they will rest
and feed, so a perch on the feeder is not a bad idea.
Pest control - Because of it's sweet
hummingbird nectar, these feeders can attract some pests, in
this case ants and bees. Ant moats are often built into the
feeders. An alternative is to cover the feeder hanger with
some type of barrier like the sticky guard for trees. Some
people have success with Vaseline but this may need to be
replaced more often.
Some undesirable visitors like wasps , yellow jackets, and
bees find yellow to be attractive, so avoid yellow coloring
in a feeder. The shape of the base will affect the likelihood
of attracting bees, you will often find some indication of
bee resistant features like deep ports.
Feeder size - A smaller feeder can be the
best choice at time as it can be better to use more than one
feeder for lots of birds, as this will avoid having one bird
dominate the feeder.
Cleaning - This is critical, especially in
warm weather. You may have to clean a couple of times a week,
so a feeder that's built to be cleaned is a must have. Look
for hiding spots that will develop mold, and take a look at
the ease of disassembly to see if it can be cleaner without
spilling the food.
Mounting - One factor to keep in mind is the
length of time the food will last. Putting the feeder in the
shade will help keep down the mold growth in your feeder. And
if you have a lot of wind in your area you may want to mount
it so that it is shielded from then wind.
Keep these few things in mind when your are choosing a
hummingbird feeder, and enjoy watching the activity of these
energetic little birds.