Feeding Hummingbirds

[Lionfish Lair]

Want to attract more hummingbirds to your yard? Provide them with some protein to go with their sugar. I throw fallen kumquats into the bucket to grow little fruit flies and critters. The hummers love it.

 

[ReefQueen]

So cool, I love the way they move. I wish I had hummingbirds around here! My mom gets a bunch and I always loved watching them when I was younger. I only get raccoons the size of rottweilers that get into my garbage every night lol.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

I love my hummers. They love me too because every time I go out I "kick the bucket".

 

[redfishbluefish]

I'm a feeder of the hummers as well and aware of them eating small bugs from an article a number of years ago where a hummer got trapped in a greenhouse over winter...up north somewhere, and the owner observed the hummer eating small bugs.

Without question, one of the neatest birds. We only get one variety here on the east coast....ruby throated. What I do to make my feeders more desirable is to use the "starter" recipe throughout the season.....1 1/3 cups sugar diluted up to four cups water.

And @ReefQueen , you have Ruby Throats in Pittsburgh...just put out a feeder and they will come.

Now I wonder if Home Depot sells kumquat trees.....I don't even know what they look like! :D


EDIT TO ADD

This post reminded me to check the migration maps ......HERE .....and they have already had sightings. Time to get the feeders out!!!

 

[Flippers4pups]

Can't wait till they come back here! Wife got a new humming bird feeder last week to add to the ones we already have. During the summer they buzz our heads while we sit on the patio! Fun to watch.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

What I do to make my feeders more desirable is to use the "starter" recipe throughout the season.....1 1/4 cups sugar diluted up to four cups water.

What's a starter recipe?

 

[redfishbluefish]

First off, I corrected my post....1 1/3 cups sugar / four cups water.

A starter recipe is one that has more sugar supposedly being more desirable to the hummers. It's suggested your first fill be this recipe to attract the little guys. Once you have them, the "standard" recipe is 1 cup sugar diluted up to 4 cups with water.

 

[ReefQueen]

I have my hands full feeding the things that live IN my house, let alone the ones outside. But I maaaay grab a feeder before I leave work today lol

 

[redfishbluefish]

Have to agree....sitting on our screened in porch watching these territory - dive - bombers fight over the feeders.....love it. Here's one of my feeders on my porch....

 

[Mark Gray]

Want to attract more hummingbirds to your yard? Provide them with some protein to go with their sugar. I throw fallen kumquats into the bucket to grow little fruit flies and critters. The hummers love it.

Wow maybe that will work I have lots of birds and the occasional raccoon possums and the tree rats but my dog takes care of most of them. I have tried to get humming birds but no luck I will try this.

 

[Lionfish Lair]

Later on in the summer I've used little containers hung in branches on those ant guards you can see in the picture. Either that or I have to sit the "citrus bucket" in a bowl of water like an ant moat. Bloody ants.

 

[Mark Gray]

Later on in the summer I've used little containers hung in branches on those ant guards you can see in the picture. Either that or I have to sit the "citrus bucket" in a bowl of water like an ant moat. Bloody ants.

I hate ants especially the fire ants

 

[Vaughn17]

I feed them, too. The feeder is by my front door, which is left open a lot when it's warmer, so my cats have chased hummers into the house about a dozen times. They always fly up to the skylights and patiently wait there once they realize it's a window. They are smart. No smashing themselves repeatedly against the glass like most small birds. I get out the 20 foot ladder, catch them, and release them outside. They usually perch on my finger for a few minutes before zooming off.