Does anyone know how many hummingbirds will share one feeder? I count 3 at ours, but not sure they are the same ones, they zip around so fast.
Hummingbird Question
Hi Mary
I use a book by Dan True called HUMMINGBIRDS of North America.
If your hummers are squabbling hang another feeder out of site of the first or of some distance from each other. But yes you will have more than one bird use a feeder.
You should have a feeder for each male and mate plus young.
Each year I hang a new feeder in my yard and my hummmers increase each year. Once they get used to your yard having feeders they return,and bring more birds. A small investment if you like hummers.
Feeder Formula From Dan's book
The four to one( or five to one) water/sugar ratio will encourage hummers to return to a feeder mor frequently, which increases the opportunities to see these free spirits in action.
Every batch of feeding solution should be stovetop boiled two minutes to retard fermentation.Never use microwave for this process.
Red dye # 2 food coloring may be harmful to the birds, so I never use it either.
Change feeders on a regular basis as hummers may not come back to a tainted feeder even if it has been changed.
I hope these tips help you.
I enjoy my hummers,even though at times it seems like a lot of work.
Mike
Thanks for the info. I know we have at least 3 birds but they move so fast we may have more. I think I will get another feeder and see what happens.
Mary if you can find Dan True's book it has a lot of good information in it, Well worth the investment.
Mike
We had three feeders hung up and a very greedy fat hummer guarded all three! He would sit on the clothes line and watch the feeders in the trees and dive bomb any other hummer that dared to approach.
We were watching him chase an intruder when we realized they were decoys. While one was being chased, two would dive in for a drink. Never ending entertainment for the summer.
Ain't nature grand?
Jen
Jen
Is your feeders all within veiw of each other?
If so that is why he dive bombs the other birds.
I have mine at least 15 feet apart and I try to make sure they are out of site of each other. Each year my birds increase since I did this. We add a new feeder each year, I an watching about 30 to 40 birds this year. The less fighting the more birds.
Mike
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The second feeder is as busy as the first. We put it at the opposite end of the house. I will look for the book, thanks for the info.
My Hummers have gone on a feeding frenzy over the past two weeks! I've filled them as much over the last 2 weeks as I have all summer! I don't know if this is in response to the sultry weather we've had over that time period or a response to preparations to migrate.
I found a source that has a lot of information on the internet: http://www.hummingbirds.net/index.html
Very informational!
shuttlebunny - looked up the link and I have to say a very big thankyou!! I just love it :-)
I have seen dozens of hummingbirds at a large feeder. Although I don't think this is always the norm. But I have seen it.
I have seen dozens of hummingbirds at a large feeder. Although I don't think this is always the norm. But I have seen it.
There goes my hubby repeating himself, LOL (I'm Gardenhubby's wife if you didn't know).
It's probably a little of both, shuttlebunny. Hummingbirds expend huge amounts of energy when flying, so they must fill their tummies almost constantly. It would make sense that the really hot weather would be more taxing on the little guys. And they do bulk up in preparation for their migration. We're in central Ohio, and ours usually head out some time in early to mid-September.
Think about this - it always blows me away. YOu know how little kids get sooo tired walking at malls with their mommies? Their little legs are just so much shorter than the adults', so they're really walking two or three times as far, if you think about it.
In that same vein...Now imagine a teeny, tiny little hummingbird making a flight of thousands of miles. It just blows me away!