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Hummingbirds are wonderfully completely unique birds to watch. They flutter, hover, dodge, dart & just simply seem to play. However - all that moving around burns a tremendous amount of energy & they need to feed frequently. They literally fly to eat & eat to fly!n

Hummingbird feeders are usually filled with a mixture of 4 parts water to one part sugar. This mixture should be boiled to ensure all impurities are killed. Any excess can be refrigerated until needed. The mixture should be changed at least once a week & more frequently in very warm weather. You can also find powdered mixtures at your local hardware or bird store which works well.

Red is very attractive to hummingbirds, so your feeder should have some red in it… Please do not use red food coloring in your homemade food. To color a sugar mixture, find a bird friendly coloring at your local birding store.

Keeping desirable flowers in your garden near the feeder is also help-fulin getting those little guys to frequent your feeders. Flowering plants like Columbine, Begonias & Holly Hocks, as well as Fuchsias, Coral Bells & Lantana will definitely increase your chances. Impatiens, Penstemen, & Petunias along with Geraniums & Flowering Tobacco are also favorites of hummingbirds. There are many other types of flowers hummingbirds will frequet.

Be careful putting multiple feeders too close together! Hummingbirds are very territorial & will defend their “turf” to the death.

The best time to start putting out feeders is when the weather starts to warm up. Yes, this is a little vague, but hey, these guys are not on a schedule. Since they’re migratory birds, you’ll have a good chance of getting them to hang around if you get your food out early.

I hope you’re able to enjoy this little wonders for a long time to come, they truly are wonderous birds.

See more Bird Feeding Articles, tips, & techniques on creating a bird sanctuary in your backyard.