How to Feed Hummingbirds
Hummingbirds are beautiful birds that are interesting and beautiful to watch. Make your garden more appealing to these pretty creatures by placing a hummingbird feeder in your garden. Here’s how to make hummingbird food and how to feed hummingbirds.
Choose a Hummingbird Feeder
Hummingbirds are very particular about where they feed from, and if you want them to come to your garden, you have to fulfill their criteria. As the maintainer of the feeder, there are things you need to look for in a feeder as well. Here are the requirements:
The hummingbird feeder should be easy to put together and take apart. This will make it easier for you to clean it every now and then. It also means that you will have an easier time putting food in the feeder.
Choose a feeder with bright colors. Red, for example, will definitely draw a hummingbird’s attention!
Make sure that you get a feeder that prevents other insects like ants, bees, and the like from getting in. Hummingbirds will not feed from feeders or food that are contaminated with insects.
Your hummingbird feeder can have a perch on it. Although it is not required, a perch is a fantastic opportunity for you to see a hummingbird at rest.
Once you’ve chosen a feeder, it’s recommended that you put it up in a nice, shady place. Shade will allow the feed you’ve put inside to last longer. Make sure that you put it someplace far where other insects can reach it. You can hang it up the window so you can see the hummingbirds more clearly.
Make Hummingbird Feed
Make your own supply of hummingbird feed using this simple recipe.
What You’ll Need
Sugar
Water
What to Do
As a word of caution: do not use artificial sweeteners, food coloring or anything other than table sugar. These can prove fatal for the little hummingbirds, and you don’t want that to happen.
Dissolve one part table sugar with four parts water in a pan. Turn on the stove to a low heat and bring the water to a boil. When the water boils, remove the pan from the heat and keep on stirring until all the sugar is dissolved.
Do not let the mixture boil too long as not to evaporate too much of the water. Heating the water is done only to get rid of the chlorine in it. You are not supposed to make syrup. Heating will also kill any yeast or bacteria in the water or sugar, making your mixture last longer.
Pour the sugar mixture into a bowl, cover and let cool.
Get a clean two-liter soda bottle and pour the sugar mixture in it. You now have a steady supply of hummingbird feed
Replace the humming feed every three days. Change it every two days if you are experiencing hot weather that ranges between 89-92 degrees Celsius.