Hummingbirds... how do you draw em to your feeder?

I live in Northern Bergen County NJ... i know there's some hummingbirds around... but my garden does not have much flowers nor does it thrive due to all the deers coming and eating up everything...

thinking of getting a hummingbird feeder... some looks really cheesy, red, and some looks nice but does not look like flowers...

any tips/pointers would be much appreciated.


regards,

Al

Hummingbirds are not necessarily attracted to flowers as much as bright colors like yellows and reds which is coincidentally some of the colors of flowers they like. Best advice is to get a clear glass bottle feeder (some have flowers on the glass too) with a colored base and cap of any bright color. Make your own nectar (sugar and water) from recipes online. No dye is needed or recommended as the birds quickly become habituated to the feeder once they find it.

If you wanted to go the plant route there are a lot of the hummingbird mixes at most garden stores. If deer are a problem there are a few simple solutions that might work.

Hummingbirds are sight feeders so if you install a feeder place it out in the open if at all possible. Once they know there's a food source they will return to it....mine have a pattern of visiting my feeder and my neighbors feeders.

This is the feeder I use.........

http://www.duncraft.co​m …Frolic-Hummingbird-Feeder

No red dye is needed...a mixture of 4 parts water to one part sugar. For the feeder on the link I provided I boil 1 cup of water in the microwave then mix in 1/4 cup sugar and mix well. Let it cool to room temperature then serve. I replace the mixture every 4-5 days or when it starts to look cloudy. I clean the feeder each time I replace the mixture by putting a teaspoon of bleach and hot water in the glass jar and letting it sit. I rinse it well then add fresh mixture to it. I also soak the red part of the feeder in a bleach solution and rinse well. Mold is the biggest problem with Hummingbird feeders.

Don't expect overnight results but once one finds your feeder it will return. Good luck.

aaah... so that cool retro looking feeder that is brass/copper colored & flowers is not as good as the bright red and yellow feeders with red and yellow "fake lookin" feeders?

and thanks for the mixes... will do some more studying...

and can this feeder be in the vicinity of the seed feeder? or should i space them out some?

on a side note, i just saw a majestic looking "hawk" fly by... can i place some meat and hope to get lucky or is this bad for the birds?

The Hummingbird(s) in my yard get startled when a larger bird flys by. The juvenile Hummingbirds will actually chase Chickadees and other smaller birds and swoop at them once they land. I would place the Hummingbird feeder away from other feeders for now and just see how it goes.

kinghong1970 wrote in post #14708106
on a side note, i just saw a majestic looking "hawk" fly by... can i place some meat and hope to get lucky or is this bad for the birds?

Most hawks are live prey/ movement hunters, so if you want close-ups try dragging a small furry object on a cord across a field or open area. If you just place meat out your only likely to get carrion feeders like raccoons and maybe a turkey vulture. If you attract hawks to your feeders, you run the risk of scaring off any living thing smaller than a coyote/deer.

Duane N wrote in post #14707873
http://www.duncraft.co​m …Frolic-Hummingbird-Feeder

that is the exact feeder I have and I get hummingbirds at it all year long here in AZ.

kinghong 1970, don't expect to ever see four hummers at the feeder as shown in the link. Since you live on the east coast, where the ruby throated hummer is the "norm" you will likely only see one bird at the feeder, maybe two on rare occasions. The ruby throated is very territorial. Out west, where different species exist, you would often see that feeder with four birds, maybe even a few hovering as well waiting for their turn.

John from PA wrote in post #14794323
kinghong 1970, don't expect to ever see four hummers at the feeder as shown in the link. Since you live on the east coast, where the ruby throated hummer is the "norm" you will likely only see one bird at the feeder, maybe two on rare occasions. The ruby throated is very territorial. Out west, where different species exist, you would often see that feeder with four birds, maybe even a few hovering as well waiting for their turn.

Its gong to vary. We have at least 20 RTHU here for our two feeders every year. Its a frenzy.

thank you all... so it's been about 2 weeks and i think i'm not doing something right...

are they up north now? where it's cooler?
am i going to see some of them when they fly down/migrate?

so far, nothing...

well, i guess i'll have to be more patient...

i'm in upper bergen county... and i've talked to some who says they come around more in early fall...

i guess more research is due as well...

It may be hard for you this year as the females have already nested. early in the spring they find a food source and nest nearby and the word spreads slowly but surely. the first year we started we had about 2 pairs, 5 years later we have over 20 easily. Don't lose faith though, there is still time in the season

Are you sitting there watching the feeder on a constant basis? A visit to the feeder in my yard lasts anywhere from 5-15 seconds...if you're not keeping an eye on the feeder you might just be missing them. Some people are luckier than others as far as how many visit their feeder at one time...like John from PA I only get one Hummingbird at a time...I did have two at the feeder 2 years ago but it was a female and her offspring. Don't lose faith...it takes time for them to find the feeder. I think it took a few months before I finally saw my first Hummingbird at the feeder 4 years ago.

Send me your addresses, I'll gladly ship some to you . We are refilling our two feeders almost once a day. Duane is right though, they don't hang around long between feedings.

ooooh...

my noobish observations are based on fact that the level of feeder has not diminished... and during the summer, my kids are my "reliable" spotters...

i guess i'll be more diligent at looking out for them...

kinghong1970 wrote in post #14796305
ooooh...

my noobish observations are based on fact that the level of feeder has not diminished... and during the summer, my kids are my "reliable" spotters...

i guess i'll be more diligent at looking out for them...

That's a good observation though checking the feeder. if your into gardening or someone you live with is you can also try planting flowers they like which will also attract butterflies and other insects should you get into macro as well