Many people are fascinated with hummingbirds when they see them. Placing feeders can attract the little industrious birds into your yard, creating the scene you had envisioned of beautiful birds enjoying what you provide.
However, setting a hummingbird feeder next to a bird feeder for other species will not attract hummingbirds. Why is this? Well, the hummers are afraid of other birds. But why? Is it the kind we read in tales about beef from ages ago? No, not at all. Hummingbirds are scared of birds who stay around all year, as the hummers migrate to the US and Canada during summer only.
It is extremely rare to find hummingbirds feeding alongside common birds in the yard. So, set out a hummingbird feeder in a different place from other bird feeders, or else they’ll just avoid your feeder.
KEY TAKEAWAY
If you must have the two feeders in the same yard, they must be at least 20 feet away. Also, hiding the hummingbird feeder from the other bird feeder’s view is an instrumental way to ensure hummingbirds don’t flee.
If one position fails to work out, that’s not it. Change the feeder’s position until you see a clear increase in the hummingbirds. The positions may take time to catch on; if so, you’ll need to practice patience.
Where Best Can I Place a Hummingbird Feeder?
There isn’t a certain place that attracts hummingbirds in an instance. Hummingbirds are sensitive to the slightest inconvenience and don’t shy away from migrating.
Wherever you want to set your hummingbird feeder, ensure the place is:
Noticeable
Somewhere noticeable is highly recommended, not in dense foliage or beneath a deep roof where it is easy to overlook. Let it catch some light, too; reflections and colors capture the attention of hummingbirds more quickly and cause them to investigate.
Safe
Safe feeders will have your yard flocking with hummingbirds free from predators like cats. You should also ensure that the feeders are either further away from the windows or very close to them to prevent birds from collisions.
Shaded
The hot sun is not good for nectar; your feeder may not attract hummingbirds for more than a few days. It would be best to place the feeder in a shaded area to protect it during the hot summer days.
Private
Hummingbirds like their privacy; the birds can exhibit aggressive and territorial behavior and never share space with other bird species.
Set the feeders in different positions around the yard to separate the aggressive hummers from the calmer ones, and always ensure hummingbird feeders are away from regular bird feeders.
Well-Spaced
Hummingbirds can’t stand feeders covered in dense foliage with their hovering nature. A well-spaced environment is suitable for the hummers to maneuver around the feeder comfortably.
Convenient
Ideal hummingbird feeders should be convenient for birders to refill and clean. This entails placing the feeder in an easily accessible area and at a height within your reach.
How High Off The Ground Should I Position a Hummingbird Feeder?
About 5 feet from the ground. That is a high enough distance to keep unwelcomed guests like cats, mice, and squirrels away and a low enough distance to easily access it for filling and cleaning.
Choosing the Right Feeder
Hummingbirds are available in different sizes, shapes, and designs, but that is totally up to your preference because the bird is only interested in the nectar.
Larger feeders fitted with more feeding ports and bigger reservoirs are suitable for birders that prefer many birds in their yard. Additionally, they cut down on how frequently you keep refilling the feeders.
When choosing a feeder, we recommend you purchase multiple at once for two reasons.
- To provide enough space for feeding the birds.
- To see which feeder sits right with the hummingbirds. This way, you can replace the unpopular feeders with the birds’ favorites.
How to Appeal to Hummingbirds
Here are some tips to keep hummingbirds looking:
Keep the Feeders Clean.
Keeping the feeders spic and span is also part of the routine, apart from attracting hummingbirds and admiring their beauty. Leaving the bird’s mixture for long can make it rot and pose a health risk to birds.
Clean the feeders at least thrice a week and more regularly during the hot season.
Provide Sugar Water
Hummingbirds use energy quickly, requiring constant feeding to make up for that. Nectar feeders effectively attract these hummers, and even though they are available in stores, you can make your own quite easily.
Measure 4 parts water to 1 part white sugar and mix thoroughly. Boil the mixture if you want it to stay fresh for a longer period. Don’t add any honey or additives; water and sugar will do the trick just fine.
Plant Red Flowers
There is something about red flowers that seems to interest hummingbirds. In North America, tubular-shaped, bright red blooms are the best suited for hummingbird pollination.
The flowers offer much-needed shade and help attract protein-rich insects that hummingbirds rely on. Such flowers include trumpet creeper and honeysuckle. Your local plant nursery may give you native plant suggestions for your place.
Do hummingbirds return to the same feeder every year?
If the feeders or flowers are right where they were, the hummingbirds will return. Given their highly developed spatial memory, these amazing birds are good at remembering their favorite spots.
If the feeders are missing, they may go away, never to return.
Final Word
As we have found out, hummingbird feeders cannot be next to bird feeders. You will have to designate a special area for these timid birds, even if it means creating more space by moving the regular bird feeders elsewhere.
Common birds are adapted to forage up in trees, while hummingbirds like to hover. You can hang the regular bird feeder on a tree in your yard and the hummingbird feeder on a bird feeder pole.
Whenever hummingbirds feel the slightest intimidation from other birds, they migrate straight away. Be sure to hang the feeder within a safe distance from bird feeders, and remember this, enjoy yourself!
