Hummingbirds are essential to the echo system.
These nectar birds aid in pollination and ensure the survival of many plant species. We should protect hummingbirds.
Unlike regular birds, hummingbirds use specialized bird feeders. These are red receptacles filled with white sugar water. They are brightly colored to attract hummingbirds. These feeders don’t have solid food like grains.
Hummingbird feeders are unique in that they require special maintenance and that these bird feeders hold liquids rather than solid food.
These feeders have to be painted red, as hummingbirds are attracted to the color. Using red food color on the liquid also attracts hummingbirds.
Maintaining the feeders is vital for the safety of the birds. You need to change the water and clean the feeders frequently.
So, are you wondering how often to change your hummingbird feeder?
Bird feeders should be changed twice per week in the summer. It would help if you cleaned the feeders at least once every week during the winter. Cleaning the feeder is advisable, as it helps protect hummingbirds and extends the hummingbird feeders’ usability.
What Type Of Feed Should You Use?
Hummingbirds love to feed on nectar. Nectar is found in the nectar glands of particular insect-pollinated flowers. It isn’t easy to extract nectar from these flowers, so you must get creative.
You should use a sugar solution. Dissolve sugar into water in the ratio of 1:4. Stir until the solution is clear. Fill the hummingbird feeder with the solution.
Ensure that you change the solution once every three days.
You should only use white sugar for the solution. You must avoid food coloring or red dye, as they contain toxic chemicals to hummingbirds.
Do not use honey as a substitute for sugar. Honey encourages the rapid growth of bacteria and other harmful pathogens. Hummingbirds could get seriously ill should they consume contaminated honey.
Brown sugar is filled with iron that is dangerous to hummingbirds. These solutions could be fatal and should be avoided at all costs. You should also avoid molasses and other unprocessed sugar.
If you make too much sugar solution, you can store it in your refrigerator.
You can use glucose as it is the simplest naturally occurring sugar. Glucose is also very soluble and readily available.
How To Keep Insects Away From Your Hummingbird Feeder
Everyone knows that sugary solutions are magnets for ants and other insects. It makes it challenging to have your hummingbird feeder free from these insects.
It is common to see hundreds of bees and wasps swarming these feeders. It is dangerous for humans and unsafe for hummingbirds too. It does not have to be the case. It is possible to keep these insects at bay effectively.
Here are some valuable tips:
1. Use an ant moat
An ant moat is a unique extension added to the top of hummingbird feeds. They are traps that are filled with water.
The water makes it impossible for ants to get to the feeder.
Ant moats are practical and inexpensive. You can even make a DIY moat at home if you have the time and materials.
A large moat is more effective than a smaller one. It can trap more giant insects and work as an effective inhibitor for flightless insects.
2. Use a bee guard
Hummingbird feeders tend to attract bees. Bees can be dangerous, especially to people who suffer from bee allergies.
Bees also compete with hummingbirds for nectar. Ideally, you want the feeder to be used exclusively by hummingbirds.
Bee guards are special tubes placed on the hummingbird feeder’s opening. These tubes allow hummingbirds to access the sugar solution by inserting their beaks in them. Bees, however, cannot fit inside these tubes.
Bee guards may be worked into the feeder’s design or purchased separately at a retail shop.
3. Use a wasp trap
Wasps are hazardous insects. These undesirable creatures can terrorize your living space if you do not protect your hummingbird feeder. Wasp stings are as painful as it gets.
Wasp traps are special containers that capture the creatures. These traps are commercially available and can even be purchased at retail stores.
To keep wasps away from hummingbird feeders, place highly concentrated amounts of sugar solution in the trap. Wasps are attracted to the solution’s scent. The wasps will enter the trap and will be unable to escape.
Wasp traps are effective. Place the wasp trap just next to the birdfeeder for the best results.
4. Seal leaks
If your hummingbird feeder develops leaks, it will attract all sorts of insects, including ants, bees, wasps, and flies.
It would help if you sealed leaks as soon as you detected them. Inspect the feeder regularly to ensure that it is free from leaks.
Leaks and cracks are very easy to seal. If the crack is not severe, you can use industrial-grade aluminum duct tape to patch up the leaks quickly. You can even paint over the tape with red paint to preserve its aesthetic feel.
If you didn’t patch up the leak, it would be best to get a new feeder.
5. Avoid yellow feeders or yellow, sugary solutions.
When it comes to hummingbird feeders, yellow is a color you want to avoid. The color is a magnet for bees and wasps.
If you can, repaint the hummingbird feeder with red paint to keep insects at bay. The liquid’s color shouldn’t be a problem if you use the right sugary solution for your birdseed.
You should avoid sugar that has been coated in food color, as it might turn the solution yellow.
6. Keep the exterior of the hummingbird feeder clean.
As you are filling the hummingbird feeder, you might inadvertently spill some solution on the outside. The spill will attract insects.
7. Shift the location of the feeder regularly.
If the feeder stays in one location for too long, it will attract insects. By moving the position of the feeder to different locations, you will give insects a lesser chance to discover the sugary solution.
Maintenance Tips For Your Hummingbird Feeder
You must take steps to maintain your feeder actively. Feeders can quickly fall apart if they are left in neglect. If you do not look after your hummingbird feeder, you might end up poisoning the birds.
Hummingbird feeders are not that hard to maintain. Follow these valuable tips to keep your feeder safe and in working condition.
- Keep the feeder clean.
- Store the feeder away from direct sunlight.
How To The Feeder Clean
You must ensure that your birdfeeder is clean all the time. To clean the feeder:
Step 1: Empty the old solution
Pour the old solution down a drain or somewhere that ants will not find. It would help if you never reuse a solution older than three days, as it could be contaminated with microbes and pathogens harmful to hummingbirds.
You can use a solution that you had previously refrigerated.
Step 2: Disassemble the feeder
Separate all the removable parts of the feeder to make it easier to clean. Be careful not to break any parts.
Step 3: Prepare vinegar solution.
Boil about half a trough of water or whatever amount is reasonable, depending on the size of your feeder. Add mild vinegar and stir thoroughly.
You should avoid using dish soap or detergents, as they contain poisonous chemicals to hummingbirds.
Step 4: Soak the feeder parts in the solution
Soaking will help break down the sticky remnants of the solution inside the feeder. Vinegar is also an effective degreasing agent that works quickly.
Step 5: Wash the parts
Using a soft cloth, wash the feeder parts in the solution.
Step 6: Rinsing
Rinse the parts with warm water, or use running water from your sink.
Step 7: Dry the parts off with a cloth, or air them outside.
Step 8: Assemble the feeder and add a fresh batch of the sugar or glucose solution.
You should repeat the steps every three days or twice a week. During winter, most nectar birds migrate to areas with a warmer climate. You might notice that weeks or months will go by before they reemerge.
It is the reason why you only clean the feeder once a week in winter.
Types Of Hummingbird Feeders
There are two types of hummingbird feeders:
Inverted feeders: A reservoir with feeding holes at the bottom.
Saucer Feeders: A hallow enclosed dish filled with feeding solution.
Conclusion
Hummingbirds need to be protected as they are vital to the ecosystem. These birds are essential as they facilitate pollination and the growth of vegetation.
Hummingbird feeders are common on the western coast of North America. Unlike regular bird feeders, hummingbird feeds have liquid instead of grain.
It would help if you changed the feeder at least once every week in winter and twice every week for the rest of the year. Cleaning the feeder prevents mold growth and other harmful bacteria that could make hummingbirds sick.
