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I've been feeding these amazing little birds for years. We only get a few different ones up here--but I know there are several different types here in the U.S. They are so cool
I know there are many types of flowers that will attract them--but I have nothing like that planted. So instead--I use feeders with sugar water.
Do you feed them too?

whg

[This message edited by WarehouseGuy at 1:11 PM, April 28th (Sunday)]

A lot of my Michigan based relatives do the sugar water feeders too. I used to just sit and watch them at my grandparents' cottage through the porch screens.

I read once that they're the only bird that can fly backward, not sure if that's true.

I'm not really sure if they're the only one that can fly backwards--but they sure make it look easy. And hovering like a helicopter seems like child's play to them. They are amazing.

whg

eta: I'm putting my feeders out in the next few days.

[This message edited by WarehouseGuy at 1:22 PM, April 28th (Sunday)]

Thanks for the reminder. I'll need to put mine out soon too.

They tend to come back to the same area every year. So if you have been putting out food and forget to put it out the next year--they will move somewhere else. That's been my experience with them so far. They follow the blooming of flowers in the spring as they move north.

whg

I love hummers. They're year 'round here.

They will go for any kind of flower that has a tube shape--penstemon is a good one. Preferably colored flowers rather than white (white flowers tend to be air pollinators.)

If you do put our sugar water, DO NOT color it red. The food coloring is bad for them.

We love 'em. We had one last year that was very aggressive and territorial. We had so much fun watching him. We named him Meany.

Sad, it seems like all of the nectar at the stores is colored red! If it's bad for them, then why the heck do they color it?

I've been toying with getting a feeder, and I think I'm going to after this thread. I think my DD would be super excited if we had hummingbirds. I know I would!

I get them at dusk with my night blooming Jasmine.... they are all over that bush/tree. I also have Mexican petunia's... they like that.

They are fun to watch. I don't have any feeders... the squirrels have always managed to damage the hummer feeders.
So I plant flowers.

sugar 1 part to water 4 parts (I usually boil the water in the microwave, keeps it from spoiling quickly and helps dissolve the sugar). Red coloring is not necessary. Years ago, there was something in the red dye, but think they changed the makeup. The prepackaged (expensive) nectar is just a ploy. Most hummingbird feeders are red, and that will be enough to attract them.

They are sooooo amazing!!!

I have fed them for years too, except for the last two, as I haven't been around and you need to change the sugar-water mixture often. Even more often in the heat. WHG, mine didn't move on. They came to my patio door and "chittered" at me, asking where it was! When I was feeding them, it got to the point that they watched for me and landed on the feeder while I was carrying the fresh one out to hang!

I've always used distilled water and plain sugar. 1/3 cup sugar to a cup of water. They just flock to it. Sad is right that the color isn't good for them and they always find mine.

This is a good reminder. I'll have to get my feeders out! I only have one kind of the birds here, but have seen others when I travel. Just love those little helicopters! Great entertainment. I've also had some "meanies" who thought they had exclusive rights to the feeders.

Edited because of my phone!

[This message edited by thebighurt at 4:17 PM, April 29th (Monday)]

My parents feed them. It's nice to watch them flutter around on the back deck.

WHG...

I have one feeder on the side patio that they just love. It's constant traffic all day for months...I love them

Plus our garden behind the waterfall is loaded with plants/flowers that hummingbirds and butterfly's flock to...it's really beautiful to sit and watch them

We have tons of Anna's Hummingbirds here. I've always enjoyed feeding them. I haven't put out any sugar water this year because it feels like I'm living on borrowed time at this house (just doesn't feel like home anymore) but they do still come by to feed off of some of the flowers.

[This message edited by h0peless at 8:26 PM, April 29th (Monday)]

Whenever I have put out a feeder, it attracts BEES.

We have a crocosmia that the hummingbirds flock to - they also like my mini petunias.

The hummingbirds around here are pretty small - in Antigua they are HUGE!