Tips for Feeding Hummingbirds

Written By Alla Levin
October 10, 2019
P.C @bryanhanson

Humminbird Feeder Reviews: Tips for feeding hummingbirds

They are among the smallest species of birds. Regarding facts about birds, the humming sounds they make while beating their wings brought about the word hummingbirds. These birds mainly feed on insects such as fruit flies, mosquitos, and aphids.

Their flexible lower beak makes a large surface area for catching insects. You can use their vast appetite by supplying them with enticing meals.

This is possible because they can feed on more than five times per hour. You can also find more information on Hummingbirds Plus – top hummingbird feeders. Check the ways of attracting the birds to feed them

Feeding Hummingbirds: Regular cleaning of the feeder

You need to make sure the device is cleaned at least two or more times a week. During the hot season, the nectar undergoes fermentation quickly; therefore, you must clean it more frequently.

The fermented nectar causes molds and sour food, which will not attract as many birds as you may be targeting. While you are cleaning the feeding basin, sterilize all crannies and hooks to do away with any fungus or molds. You should soak the infected ones in very hot water to remove all remains of the fermented nectar.

Provision of natural sources of foodFeeding Hummingbirds

They majorly feed on flowers that produce nectar. They are also attracted to colorful flowers. You should set aside a natural food source garden to attract them. In this garden, you should avoid the usage of pesticides or insecticides because of the removal of natural food sources. From these, you can conclude that with more natural food sources, you will be able to attract more birds with good health.

Discouraging of insects

Insects such as wasps and bees cannot be able to resist nectar. To avoid these, you should choose pans or basins that have an in-built insect trap or guard. You should prevent feeders with appealing colors, such as yellow, as this color attracts wasps and bees. You should also avoid the usage of insecticides, which can cause contamination as they are toxic to hummingbirds.

Proper position

One should place the feeding device away from the wind or a place that is not directly located to the sun. It will keep the nectar fresh and safe as there will be no fermentation and minimization of spilled nectar. Your feeder should be placed away from the windows. This will help the birds avoid window collisions or getting their wings stacked on the screen.

Appropriate filling

You should fill the feed pan with the amount of sugar that the bird can consume within one or two days in hot weather. This will help you to minimize wastage of nectar. Click here to see more about feeding the birds.

Types of hummingbird feeders Types of hummingbird feeders

  • The First nature 3090, 32 Ounce

For this device, the color red attracts all the hummingbirds, both calm and curious birds. It contains ten heads of a flower. You can easily clean, fill, and operate the equipment with no struggle because of the large basin in the feeder. A moat surrounds it at the base, collecting ants attracted to the sugar.

  • Parasol BLOOMPAQ bloom perch, Aqua

This feeder will effortlessly attract your birds because of its beautiful appearance. It is made up of glass from recycled materials. The device is easy to clean as the decanter style is easily detached from the glass. Being able to clean easily allows you to keep away bugs or any other insecticides attracted to nectar.  See here how to choose hummingbird feeding apparatus https://justbirding.com/best-hummingbird-feeder/

Conclusion on feeding hummingbirds

It would help if you considered some factors while choosing these apparatuses i.e. cleaning, among other things. During the hotter season, you are required to change the nectar. It will prevent the nectar from fermentation, resulting in molds and sour food. The acidic food and molds will hinder you from collecting the birds you had targeted.

You should also buy one that can be easily opened, allowing you to access the feeding points easily. You should also consider the one with the most appealing color, such as the red feeder, as it can attract more birds. You should avoid using yellow because it will attract other insects and birds.

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