Hummingbirds 101: How to Attract Them, Feeders, Nectar Recipe and MORE!
Allie Mason
Our House, Hummingbirds, Birdwatching
Ok guys, I honestly can’t believe I am actually typing this right now (#nerd), but I am SO excited for my hummingbirds to arrive! If you remember from last year, I started keeping hummingbird feeders out at our house with the hopes of attracting one sometime in the Spring or Summer. My grandmother has always had hummingbird feeders, and some of my fondest memories growing up were making the sweet nectar with her, and watching her hummers zoom to and from her feeder. However, when I wanted to attract my own hummingbirds, I had NO CLUE what the process looked like.
I totally get that this topic may seem a little nerdy, but I promise, once you get your first hummingbird, you will be OBSESSED. So, since my grandmother is my go-to hummingbird expert, I asked her for tips. While I also consulted the world wide web, grandmothers know best. Let’s go over the basic questions I had for her when starting my hummingbird process!
Question 1: What type of feeder should I get?
This is a SUPER IMPORTANT factor in hummingbirds 101, because I believe the type of feeder you provide for your birds makes all the difference. If you peruse Amazon, or head to your local hardware store or wild bird shop, you will see there are TONS of feeder options on the market. I tried a few options before coming to the conclusion that the UFO-shaped feeders seem to be most enjoyed by my birds. I had one of these, but the birds mostly preferred the oblong feeders. They are also so much easier to clean since you can easily access the nectar trough for optimal cleaning (which is essential, more on that below). I also recommend feeders that have a perch. This gives the birds the opportunity to take a break and sit on the feeder while feeding, or allow it to be a resting spot while keeping watch for other birds. Hummingbirds like perching, and would frequently sit on top of the shepherds hooks we have placed on our back deck. I also prefer these types of feeders because they are less prone to leaks, thus attracting fewer ants, bees and wasps. It’s great that they contain an ant mote, which when full of water helps stop ants from getting in the feeder (be mindful of this during hot summer days when the water evaporates quickly). Anyway, proper feeders are key! Shop my preferred feeders and hooks here:
Questions 2-4: Do I need to make my own nectar? How do I make it? Does it need to be red?
The simple answer to the first part of this question is no, you don’t need to make your own nectar, but it was a fun part of the process for me. I decided not to buy the pre-made nectar simply for cost-savings purposes, and the fact that most of the hummingbird nectars on the market (although fine) contain additives that aren’t necessary for the birds. We stuck with a simple water and sugar recipe that worked really well for our birds.
Speaking of water and sugar, how do you make your own nectar do you ask?? Great question! I did a little googling, but basically the most important factor to DIY hummingbird nectar is the sugar to water ratio. Per the recommendations of my grandmother and google, I follow a 4:1 water to sugar recipe. Meaning, you want 4 parts water to 1 part white sugar. While it isn’t a science, here is my “recipe”
4 cups of filtered water
1 cup white granulated sugar (this is essential, do not swap for another type of sugar ie: coconut sugar, confectionary, maple syrup, etc.).
Combine mixture in a pot and bring to a boil. Allow sugar and water mixture to boil for 3-5 minutes, ensuring the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool fully and store any extra nectar in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to one week.
Last but not least: does the hummingbird nectar need to be red? No. Definitely not. Since I am personally not a big fan of red dye for various health reasons, it does not occupy any shelf space in our home. Thus, it won’t be found in our nectar! Hummingbirds are attracted to the color red (they associate it with a rich nectar source), we found that just having red plastic feeders was enough to attract them!
Question 5-6: When should I put out my feeders? How can I attract hummingbirds to my feeders?
My grandmother was the best source for the these questions, since she’s been feeding hummingbirds and successfully attracting them to her yard for years. For us here in Maryland, hummingbirds are expected to migrate north in April (I suspect they may be a little earlier this year since we’ve had such a mild winter). Some areas in the south can expect to see hummingbirds by late February/early March, while northern areas won’t see them until late April/early May. If you’re on the east coast, I’d recommend having your feeders out by at least mid-April, to ensure early hummer attraction! Ours were out on April 10th this year, and I’ll probably put them out the first week of April this year (since it’s been so warm). I found this website to be a helpful resource. When your hummers arrive is dependent upon your location, so definitely refer to the Internet to pinpoint your area hummingbirds’ arrival history.
Another great way to attract hummingbirds to your yards with or without the use of feeders is with hummingbirds’ favorite flowers. Of course most fragranced red and purple flowers will attract them, but they are particularly drawn to flowers that are tubular, which should provide a rich nectar source. If you’re looking to add some hummingbird-friendly flowers to your yard, consider foxgloves, trumpet vines, honeysuckle, lilies, zinnias, petunias and more. These will also attract pollinators like pees and butterflies too! What’s more to love?!
Question 7: Where should I place my feeders?
This question was one I had to learn the answer to based off my own trial and error. Something you should know about hummingbirds is that they are VERY territorial. Meaning, they will defend and guard their feeder fiercely! We had both of our feeders placed on our back deck, which worked for us…once we spread them out a bit. I read that feeders should be at least 6-10 feet apart from one another, but we still had many birds fighting to keep the other off the nectar. Sometimes 2-3 would share a feeder harmoniously. Just depends! More feeders means more birds, so this year I think we will have one feeder in front, and two out back to spread the love a bit!
Question 8: How often should I clean my feeders?
Clean hummingbird feeders are vital to the health of the birds, but it also ensures they will come back to your yard day after day (fun fact: hummingbirds remember every flower and feeder they’ve ever visited!). We clean our feeders 2x a week (every 3-4 days). In the summer, the feeders get cloudy and may fill with bugs once they’ve sat for a few days. You’ll also notice the hummingbirds will be less attracted to the nectar if it has sat in the hot sun for several days. Keeping the nectar fresh ensures healthy, happy birds! I clean my feeders with this gentle unscented liquid castile soap, rinsing them thoroughly to guarantee no residue (of soap or grime) is left behind!
Question 9: What other issues may arise?
Since last Spring/Summer was our first year with hummingbirds, we had some trial and error in terms of pests, cleaning, leaks, etc. I would say the biggest things to note are making the right ratio of nectar (see above), and keeping your feeders as clean as possible. Changing the nectar, and thoroughly cleaning the feeders twice a week is essential
In terms of pests, by mid-summer the squirrels figured out how to access the hummingbird nectar. The salespeople at our local wild bird shop assumed the squirrels were drinking the nectar to rehydrate on hot days, and it was an added delicious bonus that the water was sweet. I tried a squirrel baffle on the taller of the two shepherds hooks which did help somewhat. I think I will need to replace it this year since it has broken. I also gave the birds and squirrels an additional water source. I put out this water bottle for birds and squirrels alike, which proved successful. It took some time for the squirrels to figure it out, but now it stays out all year as a source for all critters to enjoy. A birdbath would work just as well!
I hope all of this information is helpful! While I know it is a lot, these were the things I commonly searched for last summer when beginning our hummingbird process. They really are a joy to watch and made summer so fun for us! By mid-summer, our hummingbirds started to get very curious, and would come right up to us or Buzz to check us out! They are brave little birds! Please leave any hummingbird-related questions or comments in the comments section below! Have a great day!
