RE: What are my chances?

[Johnnycake]

Hi all,

So...we've had a Hummzinger up since late March and no sight of a hummer (we live in downtown Philadelphia, but adjacent to a river and a huge botanical garden and spotted one in the fall last year). I took it down last week in despair and put up an Apple Treat Suet, which produced great results: baby cardinals, chickadees, etc. Then today it happened!!!

I see a hummer zip into the yard by the suet and petunia and then take off!!!!!!

I immediately filled the Hummzinger and put it back on the pole where the suet was. What are my chances that this little fella is going to zoom by again and get some nectar?

Thanks,

Johnny

[Johnnycake]

Oh, I should mention that we always have a nyjer upside down feeder up with plentiful goldfinches, and a pure suet for the woodpeckers and the apple treat suet stayed up in the yard - I just moved it.

Johnny

[Johnnycake]

Well, it came back today. I saw it hovering about 4-5 feet from the feeder but then it zipped away. I wonder if it is getting comfortable. I hope it knows what the feeder is...

-J

[Spica]

Hi Johnny. Welcome to the "hummer lover club".

You might slightly increase the chance of hummers finding your feeder by attaching red ribbons nearby. However, that is probably unnecessary. Although hummers exhibit feeder type/feeder location preferences, if a hummer is going to stick around, it will find any feeder that is nearby. These birds are so inquisitive! Then, once they have found your feeder, they will remember its location seemingly forever. Even if you later on move the feeder somewhere else, you will still see them coming to check the old location from time to time.

Good luck and enjoy!

Spica

[sarahbn]

I live just outside of Philadelphia but grew up in Philadelphia near carpenters woods. The best way to atract hummers is to plant their favorite flowers then put a humzinger near the flowers. I have quite a few right now they feed from humzingers and flowers equally beebalm cardinal flower coral honeysuckle They will go to the flowers and feeders but they spend more time chasing each other than eating.

[wings]

Sooner or later it'll use your feeder. Just give it some time.

[J Huff]

Hi Johnny,

I want to second what Spica said about using red ribbons. They have always done the trick for me.

I see where you using many other feeders and attracting a lot of birds, congrats. I didn't see if you mentioned how close the hummingbird feeder was to the other feeders. I keep my hummer feeders about 100 feet away from my other feeders. I have had more luck attracting hummingbirds to my feeders since I moved them away.

Good Luck,
John

[Johnnycake]

Thanks to everyone for the good advice. The hummer is still hanging around in the backyard and seems to be very interested in the Thistle feeder of all things (hovers near it). I just went and bought two different hummingbird feeders to try - the one I had up caused interest but I am not sure she knew how to use it! These are bright red and have big plaster flowers with yellow centers so I hope that will work. I've also taken your advice and put up some red ribbons.

Fingers crossed!

-Johnny

[KCFoggin]

Thanks to everyone for the good advice. The hummer is still hanging around in the backyard and seems to be very interested in the Thistle feeder of all things (hovers near it). I just went and bought two different hummingbird feeders to try - the one I had up caused interest but I am not sure she knew how to use it! These are bright red and have big plaster flowers with yellow centers so I hope that will work. I've also taken your advice and put up some red ribbons.

Fingers crossed!

-Johnny

Remember now, it may look like your hummer is interested in the thistle feeder but what it is probably looking at/for are small insects which never fail to find bird feeders ;) As was previously mentioned, you really don't want to keep the hummer feeders in close proximity to your seed feeders. Be patient, remember to change out the nectar every other day, 3 at most and no need to fill the feeders full when you change them out often.

[Johnnycake]

Success! I woke today to find the little female happily feeding from the new feeder I put up that replaced one I had there yesterday. Yeah! I'm thrilled!

Johnny

p.s. Great advice on the nectar changing - that should save quite a bit that would otherwise be wasted.

[Johnnycake]

Here is a quick shot I got of it this afternoon.

-J

[KCFoggin]

Great. Now keep the feeders where they are as moving them will only confuse the guys and gals.

[Chris35rt]

KC's right, try and keep it in the same place. I also change my nectar ever three days and clean them out real good with a bottle brush every time. My hummers have got to where they follow me over the water hose and watch me clean the feeders and then they head over and wait for me to hang them them back up. There not quite to the point of hand feeding, Yet. ;)

[JeanetteD]

I noticed you have said keep you hummer feeder away from seed feeders I have two feeders right with the. seed feeders and I have know trouble there is always hummers at the feeders. plus they set right with the other birds. As I'm typing I'm watch a finch and hummer sharing a feeder