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If you have never had the enjoyment of observing a fluttering hummingbird drinking nectar from a blossom or feeder on a warm, sunny day you are surely missing one of nature's most awe inspiring pleasures. And simple, plastic hummingbird feeders are the perfect way to attract these little but amazing birds to your front or backyard all spring and summertime long.
Hummingbirds actually have a lengthy, forked tongue that's used to lick nectar as many as 13 times per second either from a blossom or a feeder and acts as a trough drawing the nectar in. While hummingbirds do consume some bugs and pollen, sugary nectar includes ninety percent of their total diet.
Plain sugar water using four parts hot water and one part regular white sugar boiled for approximately two minutes are all that's required to attract groups of hummingbirds to your feeders.
Once the neighborhood hummingbirds learn where your feeders are situated they're going to come back time and time again. The birds will soon become dependent upon the nectar you've been supplying, particularly as the chillier, fall months approach when they will need to double their size to get ready for the extended trip south for the winter.
Be sure you keep your hummingbird feeders full and cleaned on a weekly schedule, or even more often if you see a black mold start to grow. The mold which forms in feeders with nectar is detrimental to the birds and needs to be eliminated without delay.
Use some vinegar and hot water (one part white vinegar, four parts water) along with a bottle brush to get into the crevices. Clean and rinse the feeders completely several times to totally eliminate all of the vinegar. In the event that you don't have a bottle brush handy, use some dry rice or even a few clean pebbles and shake the feeders intensely to mix the solution.
Do not use honey or any kind of sugar substitutes in your hummingbird feeders as this encourages the development of potentially harmful microorganisms. Reddish food coloring, which has long been employed in feeders to attract hummingbirds along with other birds, is also not advised. Rather, use a red feeder or hang a red-colored bow or a few beads nearby to attract these miniature avian wonders.
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