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...To solve this, simply move the feeders further apart. Rarely can they control feeders that are 15' or more apart, and usually 10' will work fine. •Make sure that the feeder itself is not close to anything like a wall. Hummingbirds will like it if the feeder is near a bush or other natural perch, but they will not like being too close to a wall. There are brackets designed just for this that are available at garden stores, hardware stores, and discount stores. I like the wrought iron ones. If you have a problem with ants getting to your feeder, try putting a very thin coating of petroleum jelly or kitchen cooking oil on the hanger line or wire. You can also change the hanging line to a single strand type of wire, or a strand of smooth plastic, and then 'greasing' it down. (Most of the less costly feeders come with a smooth plastic hanging line.) This gives the ants no way to get a grip on the hanger line, so they fall off, and quickly quit trying. There are also special ant traps made for feeders. Now it's time to give the little hummers some food. You can order food (see the links at the end of this page.) If you order food, which is also available at most Tucson grocery stores and pet supply houses, you'll end up mixing a powder into water. The resulting liquid will be red in color. You can also make your own hummingbird food. It will store in the refrigerator for a week or so. Simply follow these instructions. Measure 4 parts of water into a pot. Bring the water to a boil, and then pour the one part of sugar in. Examples: 4-cups of water/1-cup of sugar. 16-cups of water/4-cups of sugar – and so on. Now add a few drops of red food coloring. (The food coloring is not required, but it helps attract the birds to new feeders.) Let the mix boil for about two minutes, then cover the pot, and let it stand. Allow the feed to cool to room temperature. Using a funnel, I pour the mix into a thoroughly cleaned out 1-gallon milk jug with a twist-on top. You can use any glass or plastic container for storing your hummingbird food. Now, completely fill your feeders and take them out and hang them. If you do this in early spring, you're sure to have some hungry hummers sucking up the precious food in no time at all. From now on, be sure to thoroughly wash and rinse the feeders each week, and fill them as necessary for your birds. Really make sure the containers stay clean and free of molds or the birds can get quite sick.
The Ruby-throated Hummingbird Hummingbirds have an incredibly fast metabolism, and require lots of food (sugar) to maintain themselves adequately. Their trademark 'humming wings' is caused by the wings moving at speeds greater than sound, thus causing the pleasing hum. These tiny birds expend tremendous energy throughout their lives, and so your feeders will keep many of them happy and healthy, and ensure the next entertaining generation of hummers comes to Tucson. The melodies hummingbirds make as their wings exceed the speed of sound are quite intriguing. If you really listen to the humming, the subtle changes in tone and volume are almost mesmerizing. Hummers also have songs – though they don't sound like more the common songbirds. (You wouldn't really expect them to though, would you?) Hummingbirds make high-pitched, very short chirps, and combinations of click-like sounds. Different species make different sounds, but telling many of them apart requires a very skilled and experienced ear. If you wish to get closer to the birds, then it's simple to train them to your presence. Your birds will come in predictably in the morning and evening. So just get closer and closer to the feeder during each time they visit. I have a chair almost right under one feeder, and no matter what time of day it is, the birds come and feed freely while I sit there. Watching and listening to them is very enthralling. I love it when a couple of aerobatically gifted, noisy males argue over who gets the feeder! They can go from a hover to high-speed flight for three feet, and back to a hover so fast you almost can't see it happening. By the way, my birds don't like it when anyone else gets near the feeder. I hope you enjoy your hummingbird feeding and watching experiences – no matter where you live. It's very popular in Tucson, but people observe these unique birds all over the US. Good birding! For more information, pictures or supplies: |
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