4 Tips For Setting Up Hummingbird Feeders This Spring
Hummingbirds are a beautiful bird. With their unique beak and fast-moving wings, hummingbirds are entrancing to watch. If you want to attract hummingbirds to your yard, you need to understand how to use a hummingbird feeder to get the best results.
#1 Use Nectar in Your Feeders
You need to use nectar in your hummingbird feeder. You can make nectar by mixing one-part sugar with four parts water, adding the sugar to the water when the water is boiling to dissolve the sugar. If you make the nectar, you can store it in your fridge or freezer until you are ready to use it.
You can also purchase commercial nectar. When purchasing commercial nectar, make sure the nectar you purchase doesn't contain any added colors, juices, or additives. Hummingbirds don't need to be exposed to other products; all they need is basic sugar and water.
#2 Keep Your Nectar Fresh
Sugar water can ferment and spoil quickly, especially when it is hot outside. On a hot summer day, you should only put enough nectar for a single day into your feeder. If the hummingbirds learn that your feeder contains spoiled nectar, they are going to stop showing up. You don't need to fill the feeder all the way to the top; just add enough nectar each day to feed the birds that show up. Additionally, nectar expands when it gets hot, so if you fill the feeder too full, it will overflow and attract pests to your feeder.
#3 Keep Your Feeders Clean
Next, you need to keep your feeders clean. During the hottest days of summer, when the chance of fermentation increases, you want to clean your feeder more frequently. When nectar ferments, mold can grow that is fatal to hummingbirds. During the hot summer months, a few times a week, soak your hummingbird feeder in hot water to clean it up. During the colder months, you can clean the feeder less frequently.
#4 Protect Against Other Insects
Finally, try to keep ants and bees away from the sweet nectar in your hummingbird feeders by purchasing feeders that have built-in insect traps. This will help keep other insects away, which will make your feeders more attractive to hummingbirds. Keeping your feeder clean will also help deter other insects as well.
If you want to attract hummingbirds to your yard this spring, put up some feeders that have insect guards. Use fresh nectar in your feeders, and be prepared to clean the feeders on a regular basis to protect the health of the hummingbirds that visit your yard. For more information, find a hummingbird feeder supplier like The Hummingbird Feeder.