Are there any tips to help hummingbirds find a new feeder?
Once a hummingbird feeder is set up and the hummingbirds know about it they will come back over and over again on a regular basis. They even seem to remember after the winter and will come to check to see if the feeders are out yet.
If one is setting up a hummingbird feeder in a new area that hasn't had one before, are there any tips to help them find it the first time?
1 answer
Hummingbirds find the feeders by sight. Some ways to attract them include:
- Use a feeder with bright colors. Red seems to be a color that they are particularly attracted to.
- Try to have colorful, again preferably red, colored native plants nearby. Try to incorporate plants that blossom throughout the year.
- Place the feeder in a sunlit area and if possible choose a feeder that has facets that can reflect the sunlight to get their attention.
- Install a mister or bubbler to a bird bath to give them a place to bathe and preen.
- Tie colorful ribbons or surveyors tape in nearby trees to get their attention while they are flying overhead.
- Have patience. It may take some time to be found especially during wet years when there is an abundance of natural sources of nectar available.
To keep the hummingbirds coming back make sure the nectar is regularly replaced and the feeder is clean.
Sources: birdwatchersdigest sweetseed.com wildbirdsunlimited
This post was sourced from https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/a/22154. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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