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![]() ![]() Hummingbirds do need the red colour to attract them, but just the little bit of red I have on my feeder is enough. Place the feeder close to other shrubbery so that they can quickly go to a hiding space as they don’t like to be in the open for long. The shade helps to keep the water from spoiling early and gives hummingbirds a break from the hot afternoon sun. Place your feeder four feet above the ground, ideally in the shade. Where is the Best Place to Attract Hummingbirds? Don’t use any distilled water in your hummingbird food recipe. Ideally, you will want to use spring water but tap water works just fine. Dish soap can leave residue in the feeder that may be harmful to hummingbirds. In terms of how you clean it, a good soak in hot water is all you need. For thirsty hummingbirds who finish your feeder before the week is up, clean it every time it is empty. When it’s cold outside, once a week works fine. When it’s hot outside, clean your feeder 2-3 times a week. Not cleaning your feeder can make the little birds sick. Frequently Asked Questions About Hummingbird Food How Often Do I Need to Change DIY Hummingbird Nectar?įrequent cleaning of your hummingbird feeder is essential as a responsible birder. Replace the nectar and clean the feeder once a week when it’s cool and 2-3 times a week when hot. Place any unused hummingbird food in the refrigerator for up to a week. Allow the mixture to fully cool before you place it in your feeder. Here’s how to make hummingbird food!īoil your sugar and water together in a pot. Invite them for a sweet cocktail and they will happily reward you with pest control and silly antics. If you don’t have enough reasons to love them, they also fill their belly with aphids, mosquitoes, gnats, whiteflies, and insect eggs. Hummingbirds are beautiful and joy to watch in your garden or through the window. It should not be replaced with maple syrup, honey, brown sugar, coconut sugar, stevia, or any other sugar substitute. It’s also important to note that while we often hear of sugar alternatives that are better for human consumption, plain white sugar is best for hummingbird food. You can make as big of a batch as you would like, refrigerating any leftovers for up to a week. ![]() For every cup of sugar you add, mix in four cups of water. It acts as an additional source of nectar when there aren’t enough flowers in the area. Is it okay to feed hummingbirds sugar water? Absolutely! Sugar water is the best and least expensive way to feed hummingbirds in your garden. Without flowers and nectar, the feeders are their only source of food. This has led to many people offering hummingbird feeders year-round, including winter feeding. Unfortunately, this means the birds have difficulty in finding food for the winter. Many are now in Vancouver for the entire winter. Due to climate change, the Anna’s Hummingbird has drastically changed their migration patterns. Their houses are so small, you may find them in your potted plants.Ī hummingbird in snow may not be such a rare sight these days. They have emerald feathers and a rose-pink throat, showing off their beauty in the fleeting moments at my feeder. In fact, Anna’s Hummingbird is the official bird of the city. Hummingbirds are everywhere in my hometown, Vancouver. Find the book in your country and grow organically! Anna’s Hummingbird It is one of over 80 recipes for the garden, including recipes for soil, fertilizer, compost, and more projects to encourage backyard wildlife. This hummingbird food recipe comes from my book, Garden Alchemy. More likely, this sweet little creature was just checking me out, and very possibly demanding that I go clean the feeder! She would have been delighted to take the form of a hummingbird. She sure loved hummingbirds and fed them all year long. Some folks have said that it could have been my mother coming to check on me. I said hello and watched her for a while before she darted off to a tree. Or perhaps she was looking at me gardening the way we, humans, look at animals in their natural habitat. ![]() I felt like she was looking at me and trying to tell me something. She was probably a foot away from me and stayed there for a minute or more. She came close to my face and fluttered in place while looking directly into my eyes. ![]() Invite them to your garden with this hummingbird food recipe.Ī month after my mother passed away, a hummingbird came up to me when I was in the garden. The sound of their wings, the speed of their movements, the shimmer of their feathers – all this makes them a highly attractive garden guest. Visiting hummingbirds are one of the greatest garden delights. ![]()
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